\B^ 


yi  O  L  E  T  T  A 


A   EOMAI^OE 


J^DFTEH     THE     O- E  li,  Oyn  .A.  IT 


OP 

URSULA  ZÖGE  VON  MANTEUFFEL 


MES.   A.   L.   WISTER 

rnanslatob  of  "the  lady  with  the  rubies"  "  vain  forebodings" 
"  quicksands"  etc 


P  H  I  L,  A  D  E  L  P  H  I  A 

J.   B.   LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

189  7. 


Copyright,  1886,  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  Company. 


<^ 


STEPEOrt'PbRSwnrRINTERSIII 


00]^TE]N^TS 


OHAPTEB  PAO« 

I. — Velzin's  Gentle  Mistress       ....  7 

II. — Marie  Louise 22 

III. — In  the  Season 29 

IV. — Student  and  Friend 40 

V. — A  Betrothal 52 

VI. — An  Actress  in  Society 02 

VII. — ViOLETTA  FOUQUET C8 

VIII. — Sir  George  O'Halloran          ....  80 

IX. — Sages  and  Elves 89 

X. — General  Montresor 98 

XI. — 'Love  is  Lord  of  all' 112 

XII. — A  Kevelation 121 

XIII.— Severed 131 

XIV. — '  Back  to  Busy  Life  again'     ....  144 

XV.— Two  Years  Later 151 

XVI.— Teplitz 163 

XVII.— Gamaliel 180 

XVIII. — Bright  Skies  in  spite  of  Clouds  .        .        .  192 

XIX.— A  Betrothal 204 

XX. — Awakening 217 

XXI. — Kavenhorst'8  «Young  Master'       .        .        .  227 
XXII. — A  New  Era  at  Kavenhorst  .        .        .        .240 

XXIII.— The  Count  Wins 253 

XXIV. — The  Countess  Loses 267 

1*  5 


6  CONTENTS. 

OBAPTEB  PA  08 

XXV.— CoMO 278 

XXVI. MUTTERINQS   OF   THUNDER          ....  292 

XXVII.— A  Departurk 301 

XXVIII.— A  Birthday  Gift 809 

XXIX. — Gone  Forever 318 

XXX. — An  Idyl  and  an  Exile         ....  327 
XXXI.—'  The  Wounds  of  a  Friend'         .        .        .337 

XXXII. — II  Palazzo  Belloni 345 

XXXIII.— The  'Soubrette' 352 

XXXIV.— Conclusion 3G1 


VIOLETTA 


CHAPTEE  I 

velzin's  gentle  mistress 

"  Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  king  who  lived  in  a 
very " 

"  Oh,  Hanna,  you're  not  telling  it  the  right  way  at 
all.     *  A  king  who  had '  " 

"To  be  sure;  I  forgot.  Who  had  on  this  very 
spot " 

"  On  this  very  spot !  Only  think !"  with  a  shudder 
of  delicious  dread, — "just  here,  where  the  water  is!" 

"  But  if  you  interrupt  me  so,  you  silly  children,  I 
shall  never  get  to  the  end  of  the  story.  This  king 
had  here  on  this  very  spot,  where  the  '  King's  Lake' 
now  is,  a  magnificent  castle,  built  of  pure  gold,  and 
marble,  and  ebony,  and  ivory,  all  set  with  rubies  and 
emeralds.  The  windows  were  of  diamonds,  and  the 
pavement  of  solid  silver " 

"We  will  avail  ourselves  of  the  pause  which  the 
wonder  and  delight  of  the  youthful  audience  made 
necessary  here,  to  take  a  look  at  the  place  which  was 
the  scene  of  the  legend. 

The  '  King's  Lake !' 

Does  not  the  name  instantly  suggest  majestic  moun- 
tain-chains, wooded  banks,  and  charming  villas  ?    All 

7 


8  VIOLETTA 

such  imaginings  arc  doomed,  however,  to  disappoint- 
ment. 

'  The  King's  Lake'  is  no  geographical  celebrity. 
The  young  story-teller,  with  her  very  youthful  lis- 
teners, is  seated  ujjon  the  broad  breast  of  a  dam, 
and  before  them  lies  one  of  those  placid  inland  lakes 
which  abound  in  what  was  once  the  Electorate.  Upon 
the  smooth  surface  of  the  water,  among  the  broad 
leaves  and  white  flowers  of  the  water-lilies,  are  myr- 
iads of  pinkish  blossoms ;  the  shrill  cry  of  the  bittern 
is  heard  among  the  reeds  near  the  shore,  and  a  gray 
curlew  screams  overhead  as  he  wings  his  way  across 
the  lake. 

"  And  this  king  was  very  good,"  Hanna  began 
again.  "  But  once,  as  he  was  walking  in  the  forest, 
he  met  a  beautiful  lady  with  long  black  hair  all 
wreathed  with  water-lilies.  She  was  wrapped  fi-om 
head  to  foot  in  a  silvery  veil.  The  king  took  her  home 
to  his  castle  and  made  her  queen  over  all  the  land.  The 
marriage  was  celebrated  with  the  greatest  pomp  and 
splendor ;  but  when  the  king  looked  out  of  his  window 

the  next  morning,  he Look !  there  comes  our 

father  across  the  moor!" 

"  Then,  hurry,  hurry,  Hanna ;  tell  us  the  end  I" 

"  Oh,  you  all  know  it." 

"  No  matter  for  that.  Who  would  tell  a  story  and 
leave  off  the  end  ?" 

"Well,  then, — All  the  air  was  turned  into  clear 
green  water,  and  strange  creatures,  half  fish,  half  man, 
were  sailing  about  in  pink  shells,  and  red  coral  was 
growing  like  flowers  out  of  the  crevices  of  the  rocks. 
The  queen  was  a  water-witch ;  and  as  she  could  not 
live  out  of  the  water,  she  had  changed  the  kingdom 
into  a  lake.     And  even  now  sometimes  in  the  night 


VELZIN'S   GENTLE   MISTRESS  Q 

there  oan  be  heard  the  wailing  of  the  poor  captive 
king,  who  was  once  so  good,  and  who  was  beguiled  by 
a  water-witch  with  no  soul." 

There  was  a  sigh  of  profound  satisfaction,  and  then 
speaker  and  listeners  slipped  down  from  their  favorite 
post  of  observation  and  raced  across  the  moor  towards 
a  dignified  man  in  the  dress  of  a  clergyman  who  had 
lately  appeared  in  sight.  His  fine,  strongly-marked 
features  were  tanned  brown,  showing  that  his  days 
were  passed  more  in  the  opcji  air  than  within  the  walla 
of  a  study. 

"  Have  you  been  to  Velzin  village,  father  ?"  Hauna 
asked,  taking  his  hand. 

"  Yes;  I  have  been  looking  after  Michel,  who  is  ill ; 
and  now  I'm  going  for  a  few  moments  to  the  manor- 
house.  And  so  you  waited  for  me  here?  How  did 
your  little  legs  bring  you  so  far,  Ella  ?"  he  asked,  ten- 
derly, stroking  the  curly  head  of  the  youngest  child. 

"  Oh,  Hanna  told  us  the  story  of  the  water-king," 
the  child  replied,  eagerly, — "  all  pure  gold  and  silver — 
and — and — ebonry " 

"  Ah,  probably  a  newly-discovered  and  particularly 
precious  metal,"  the  pastor  said,  with  a  smile ;  while 
little  Hanna  took  her  sister's  hand  after  a  motherly 
fashion  and  led  her  onwards. 

The  purple  moor  of  Velzin  was  an  extensive  plain 
covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  heather,  broom, 
and  juniper,  full  of  charm  for  those  who  have  eyes  for 
delicious  colour,  and  for  the  naturalist,  delighting  in 
the  busy  life  of  the  insect-world. 

The  Velzin  pastor  was  evidently  one  to  feel  this 
charm,  for  as  he  walked  he  paused  frequently  and 
looked  about  him,  drinking  in  the  beauty  of  the  clear 
autumn  day. 


10  VIOLETTA 

Here  and  there  lofty  firs  stood  out  sharply  against 
the  blue  sky  like  the  pines  on  the  Campagna ;  the  air 
was  filled  with  the  sweet  breath  of  the  heather,  and 
countless  blue  butterflies  hovered  above  the  purple 
blossoms,  while  crickets  hidden  in  the  grass  rang  out 
their  shrill  chirp  as  if  myriads  of  tiny  fiddles  were 
being  scraped  merrily. 

The  road,  furrowed  by  the  broad  wheels  of  wagons, 
wound  around  the  lake,  and  from  time  to  time  the 
shore  advanced  into  the  water,  forming  narrow  tongues 
of  land,  whereon  grew  slender  birches  and  willows, 
while  in  the  little  bays  thus  produced  the  shallow 
water  rippled  over  silvery  gleaming  sand. 

Upon  one  spot  on  the  shore  stands  a  noble  group 
of  ancient  hemlocks  which  strike  the  eye  even  from  a 
great  distance.  There  lies  the  manor-house  of  Yelzin, 
an  old  structure,  many-gabled,  and  provided  with  nu- 
merous pointed  towers,  all  of  one  uniform  gray,  walls, 
towers,  gables,  and  high  roofs,  from  the  topmost  peak 
of  which  the  weathercock  creaks  and  moans.  The 
house  looks  as  if  it  were  built  of  glistening  silver-gray 
shingles  and  rafters.  On  clear  days  the  lake  mirrors 
it  peacefully,  standing  in  the  midst  of  its  ancient  trees, 
with  the  ivy-grown  tower  that  flanks  it;  and  the 
climbing  roses  that  clothe  the  low  ramparts  on  the 
lake's  edge  scatter  their  pink  petals  upon  the  surface 
of  the  water  below.  But  when  a  November  storm 
rages,  driving  the  clouds  before  it,  lashing  the  waters 
of  the  lake,  and  shaking  the  old  trees  so  that  the 
crows  and  ravens  circle  restlessly  about  the  towers, 
you  might  dream  that  you  saw  before  you  an  en- 
chanted castle  about  which  evil  spirits  were  holding 
revel. 

The    manor-house    is    seldom    inhabited,    and   this 


VELZIN'S   GENTLE  MISTRESS  H 

heightens  its  mysterious  charm  for  the  children, 
whose  imagination  peoples  it  with  spell-bound  princes, 
fairies,  and  dwarfs. 

Farther  down  the  lake  lies  the  little  fishing- village 
of  Yelzin,  its  church  tower  rising  like  a  black  arrow 
against  the  sky.  Thither  the  children  turned  their 
steps,  followed  by  their  father's  loving  eyes  as  they 
vanished  among  the  reeds  and  high  grass.  Then  he 
walked  on  towards  the  manor-house. 

Velzin  was  a  strange,  lonely  old  place,  absolutely 
secluded  from  the  world,  and  yet  it  was  said  that 
those  who,  having  been  born  here,  had  grown  to  love 
it,  would  surely  always  look  back  to  it  with  longing, 
wistfully  remembering  its  repose,  its  romance,  the 
rustling  of  the  ancient  hemlocks  by  the  lake,  the  sigh- 
ing of  the  wind  in  the  juniper-trees  on  the  purple 
moor,  its  roadside  flowers,  and  its  meadows  of  waving 
grain,  meadows  wi'ested  from  the  sandy  soil  by  patient 
labour. 

The  immediate  vicinity  of  the  manor-house  was  pic- 
turesquely wild.  Eoses  were  climbing  everywhere, 
over  walls,  windows,  and  trunks  of  trees, — not  the 
roses  of  modem  horticulture,  each  giant  blossom  of 
which  would  be  a  wonder  if  there  were  no  such  things 
as  tempests,  drought,  or  spiders,  all  hostile  to  the 
beauty  of  such  petted  darlings.  The  Velzin  roses 
grew  luxuriantly  wherever  they  found  space,  trailing 
their  branches  even  across  the  moat.  Here  and  there 
on  the  grass-grown  paths  might  be  seen  a  blossom  of 
wild  thyme,  and  why  not  ?  In  contrast,  however,  to 
this  lawlessness,  there  stood  right  and  left  on  the 
broad  terrace  steps  a  row  of  green  tubs,  in  which 
were  huge  flowering  hydrangeas. 

The  pastor  walked  up  these  steps,  and,  as  the  hall 


12  VIOLETTA 

door  was  half  open,  passed  directly  into  the  house, 
where  reigned  the  dignified  repose  which  so  well  be- 
comes old  houses  and  old  people. 

The  hall  was  empty ;  a  subdued  light  came  through 
a  huge  bow- window  of  stained  glass,  illuminating  the 
old  portraits  in  dai'k  frames  hanging  on  the  walls. 
The  pastor  looked  around  him  undecided  as  to  whether 
he  should  pass  on  still  farther  into  the  house,  when 
one  of  the  doors  in  the  half-circle  of  the  hall  opecod, 
and  a  middle-aged  Fräulein  made  her  appearance;  her 
sympathetic  face  was  a  little  swollen,  and  therefore 
bound  about  with  a  lace  kerchief;  she  was  followed 
by  a  footman  in  a  blue  and  silver  livery. 

"  Ah,  here  is  our  good  pastor,"  she  sighed.  "  She 
asked  for  you  half  an  hour  ago,  but  she  is  sleeping 
now." 

"  No  matter ;  I  can  wait.  I  have  a  leisure  evening 
to-night.     Has  the  doctor  been  to-day  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes ;  she  is  so  weak,  so  very  weak.  The  doc- 
tor says  we  must  telegraph ;  in  fact,  I  did  telegraph 
yesterday  evening.  She  would  not  let  me  do  it  be- 
fore ;  you  know  just  what  she  is,  Herr  Pastor.  '  I 
shall  be  better,  Emma,'  she  said  to  me  constantly; 
*  we  must  not  disturb  his  Excellency.'  But  she  never 
will  be  better,  although  she  relished  the  drink  your 
kind  wife  sent  her  very  much, — pray  tell  her  so, 
— and  the  wild  flowers  that  little  Hanna  brought 
her  yesterday  delighted  her.  But  you  must  excuse 
me,  HeiT  Pastor;  I  am  just  going  with  Friedrich 
to  see  that  his  Excellency's  room  is  in  order.  The 
yellow  room  must  be  arranged  to-morrow  for  the 
young  master, — but,  good  heavens!  when  can  he  get 
here  ?" 

"  Do  not  let  me  detain  you,  Fräulein  Emma.     I  will 


VELZIJSPS  GENTLE  MISTRESS  13 

go  into  the  garden  for  a  while,  and  Friedrich  can  call 
me  when  she  asks  for  me." 

He  turned  as  he  spoke  and  descended  the  broad 
flight  of  steps  leading  into  the  garden,  through  which 
he  walked  to  the  low  wall  or  rampart  upon  the  edge 
of  the  water,  where  he  paused  and  gazed  over  the 
lake.  A  peaceful  picture  lay  before  him.  The  woods 
crept  down  to  the  water's  edge  along  almost  the  en- 
tire shore.  Just  below  him,  at  the  foot  of  the  wall, 
rocked  an  old  boat  fastened  by  a  chain.  Inside  it 
green  blades  of  grass  were  sprouting,  so  drenched 
with  rain  were  its  mouldering  planks.  It  should  have 
sunk,  but  it  did  not.  Like  everything  else  here,  it 
seemed  to  be  stayed  by  a  spell  just  where  it  was  when 
the  enchanter's  wand  had  waved  above  it. 

On  the  morrow  this  house  might  be  a  house  of 
mourning,  for  within  it  its  gracious  mistress  had  been 
lying  ill  and  suffering  for  weeks,  so  patient  and  so 
uncomplaining  that  those  around  her  had  hardly  sus- 
pected the  approach  of  the  inexorable  foe. 

She  had  been  wont  to  pay  a  yearly  visit  to  Yelzin 
for  her  health,  and  she  had  always  grown  stronger  in 
the  peaceful  air  of  the  place.  Perhaps  this  was  be- 
cause she  loved  it  so;  she  had  been  born  and  had 
grown  up  here,  an  only  daughter,  an  only  child. 
From  here  she  had  married  and  had  gone  out  into 
the  world,  but  she  had  never  forgotten  her  Yelzin, 
and  when  her  parents  died  she  had  insisted  with  filial 
devotion  that  nothing  about  the  dear  old  place  should 
be  changed, — not  a  tree  cut  down,  not  a  new  path  laid 
out.  Master  Andreas,  who  was  gardener,  castellan, 
and  steward  all  in  one,  cultivated  his  tulips  and  lilies 
as  he  had  done  in  the  time  of  Madame's  honoured 
grandfather,  the  deceased  Herr  Wilhelm  von  Plattow, 

2 


14  VIOLETTA 

and  the  hydrangeas  in  their  tubs  were  still  the  *  new- 
fashioned  flowers  from  France,'  and  the  most  imposing 
objects  in  the  garden. 

And  in  the  house  the  stiff,  high-backed  old  furniture 
stood  in  the  place  where  it  had  stood  for  a  century, 
the  old  pictures  hung  on  the  walls,  and  in  the  yellow 
corner  room  was  the  little  spinet  upon  which  Madame'a 
grandfather  had  learned  to  play  when  he  studied  there 
with  his  tutor.  Its  keys  still  squeaked  shrilly  when 
touched,  and  it  looked  like  a  grisly  little  musical  ghost. 

And  just  as  she  dearly  loved  all  these  ancient  mem- 
ories, so  did  she  carry  in  her  faithful  heart  her  Velzin 
peasants.  "Well  or  ill,  she  never  refused  to  see  them. 
Sometimes  for  days  she  was  confined  to  her  room  with 
an  incessant  cough.  There  she  lay  upon  her  lounge, 
always  kind,  always  ready  to  give  advice,  to  soothe 
anger,  and  to  render  aid  where  aid  was  required. 

Suddenly  steps  were  heard  approaching  the  marble 
rampart,  and  the  pastor  started  from  the  revery  in 
which  he  had  been  plunged. 

"  Ah,  it  is  you,  Herr  Pastor.  How  is  my  mother  ?" 
A  young  man  of  very  distinguished  air  uttered  these 
words  as  he  came  down  the  garden  path.  He  spoke 
calmly  and  deliberately,  a  slight  flush  on  his  cheek 
was  all  the  token  of  emotion  to  be  observed  in  him. 
His  features,  almost  too  severely  regular,  were  stamped 
with  decision  of  character  and  strength  of  intellect, 
but  it  seemed  hardly  possible  that  the  grave,  dark  eyes 
could  ever  flash  with  merriment,  or  their  glance  ever 
melt  with  tenderness. 

"  Ah,  Baron  Treffenbach,  what  a  surprise  this  will 
be  for  your  mother,  who,  I  do  not  conceal  from  you, 
is  very  ill,  far  more  seriously  so  than  we  suspected." 

"  Why  was  I  not  telegraphed  for  immediately  ?" 


VELZIN'S  GENTLE  MISTRESS  15 

"  She  would  not  allow  it ;  she  always  hoped  to  be 
better.  "We  did  telegraph  yesterday,  but  it  is  fortu- 
nate that  you  did  not  wait  for  it." 

"  Yes,  a  letter  received  a  week  ago  made  me  anxious. 
Without  mentioning  her  illness,  the  directions  she  gave 
me  in  it  seemed  like  those  of  a  dying  woman.  I  left 
St.  Petersburg  with  as  little  delay  as  possible." 

Meanwhile,  they  had  walked  back  to  the  house.  As 
no  one  came  to  meet  them,  Baron  Treffenbach  turned 
without  hesitation  towards  the  sleeping-apartments. 
He  always  felt  something  like  awe  in  visiting  this 
ancient  mansion,  wherein  reigned,  it  seemed  to  him, 
an  indescribable  atmosphere  of  romantic  mystery. 
"Was  it  not  his  mother's  early  home  ? 

Treffenbach  had  reached  the  age  of  twenty-six, 
but  as  yet  no  woman  had  rivalled  his  mother  in  his 
heart.  To  her  he  rendered  the  homage  of  a  lover  and 
the  devotion  due  to  a  saint.  All,  all  had  been  hers  from 
the  time  when,  long  ago,  his  hand  clasped  in  that  of 
the  delicate  lady  dressed  in  white,  with  a  rose  in  her 
bosom,  he  had  gone  to  the  Velzin  village  church  to 
learn  betimes  how  a  youth  can  tread  the  path  of  life 
blamelessly. 

With  his  mind  filled  with  such  memories  he  entered 
his  mother's  darkened  room.  When  his  eyes  became 
accustomed  to  the  dim  light  he  could  distinguish  the 
bed  against  the  wall,  the  curtains  looped  aside,  and 
the  weary  head  upon  the  pillow.  There  she  lay, 
the  guide  of  his  childhood,  the  guardian  angel  of  his 
youth ;  she  whom  he  had  loved  with  an  ardent,  inex- 
tinguishable affection  to  which  he  had  never  known 
how  to  give  expression.  There  she  lay,  weaiy  unto 
death,  her  eyes  closed,  her  breathing  laboured. 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  as  if  paralyzed  with  grief. 


16  VIOLETTA 

The  change  in  the  pale,  emaciated  features  was  greater 
than  ho  had  expected  to  see,  and  the  foreboding  of  an 
ii-reparable  loss  fell  heavily  upon  his  heart. 

In  a  few  moments  she  opened  her  eyes,  looked  at 
him,  and  smiled,  as  if  his  presence  were  a  delightful 
dream.  He  approached  her,  and  as  she  heard  his  foot- 
step her  gaze  grew  intent ;  she  half  raised  her  head 
and  whispered  incredulously,  "  Magnus,  my  darling, 
is  it  really  you  ?" 

He  bent  over  her  and  kissed  her  pale  brow  in  a  kind 
of  sacred  awe.  "  Oh,  mother,  you  should  have  let  me 
know!" 

"  It  came  so  gradually,  dear ;  I  did  not  wish  your 
father  to  be  told ;  it  is  so  hard  for  him  to  leave  just 
now  when  he  is  on  duty ;  and  I  knew,  too,  that  he 
wanted  to  go  to  Galicia  with  a  hunting-party,  and  I 
should  be  so  sorry, — but  now  they  have  telegraphed 
him ;  for  to  leave  him  without  one  word  of  farewell — 
without  even  seeing  him — ah,  Magnus,  I  could  not 
doit!" 

Her  voice  had  grown  weaker,  and  as  she  sank  back 
among  the  pillows  he  held  to  her  lips  a  glass  of  ma- 
deira that  stood  ready  to  his  hand, — a  hand  that  trem- 
bled, although  he  asked,  in  a  clear,  low  tone,  "  Does  it 
give  you  strength,  mother  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes,  dearest ;  but  the  sight  of  you  is  more 
refreshing  still.  What  a  long,  weary  journey  you 
have  had  I  But  I  am  so  happy  to  have  you  with  me,  I 
had  so  much  to  say  to  you  before  I — go.  My  life  has 
been  most  rich, — you  have  made  it  so.  Always  be 
what  you  are  now, — ^staunch,  true,  honest.  Never  be 
ashamed  to  flee  from  a  temptation.  Ah,  I  am  talking 
to  the  man  as  if  he  were  still  the  boy  j  but  you  under- 
stand me,  my  darling." 


VELZIN'S   GENTLE  MISTRESS  17 

She  passed  her  hand  caressingly  through  his  hair  as 
he  bent  down  his  head  to  hide  his  agitation,  his  an- 
guish, his  tears. 

"Do  not  look  so  grieved,  dear.  "We  must  all  die, 
and  I  am — glad  to  go ;  I  have  often  been  so  weary. 
I  was  not  fit  for  the  turmoil  of  life,  and  I  have  longed 
to  have  the  Father  of  all  summon  me  to  my  true 
home ;  now  he  is  doing  it  so  gently,  so  kindly.  He 
lays  no  heavy  burdens  upon  me,  but  has  led  me  slowly, 
slowly  to  his  Paradise,  and  my  heart  is  at  rest. 
AVhat  is  there  to  distress  me  ?  Our  parting  ?  Yes, 
that  is  hard,  but  it  will  not  be  for  long.  My  faith  is 
firm,  Magnus,  that  we  shall  all  be  together  again." 

Her  strength  did  not  fail  her  now ;  she  lay  still,  with 
shining  eyes  resting  upon  him  in  inexpressible  love. 

"  I  would  gladly  have  lived  to  see  one  thing,  Mag- 
nus,— your  marriage.  But  it  causes  me  no  anxiety. 
She  whom  you  will  one  day  choose  for  your  wife  can- 
not but  be  one  whom  I  could  joyfully  call  my  daugh- 
ter. For  you  never  will  be  dazzled  by  mere  beauty, 
— you  will  test  the  glittering  gold  and  be  sure  that 
it  is  pure  metal;  your  wife  will  be  good  and  true, 
worthy  to  be  the  mistress  of  Velzin.  Am  I  not  right, 
Magnus?" 

He  passed  his  hand  over  his  forehead,  and  tuen 
looked  at  her.  She  must  have  understood  the  language 
of  his  eyes,  for  she  added,  half  pleased,  half  in  doubt, 
"  Marie  Louise  ?" 

"  Yes,  mother ;  she  alone  is  like  you." 

"  It  was  the  dream  of  your  boyhood,  Magnus,  ana 
you  have  been  constant  to  it ;  your  happiness  will  be 
assured.     She  is  a  very  pearl  of  truth,  honour,  and 

feminine  nobility  of  character.     Her  heart "  she 

hesitated,  but,  as  if  some  consoling  suggestion  had  oc- 
b  2* 


18  VIOLETTA 

curred  to  her,  she  added,  "  Iler  heart  you  will  surelj 
awaken.  For  your  sake  I  trust  this  will  be  so.  Marie 
Louise  is  as  pure  and  brilliant  as  a  diamond,  and  now 
as  cold  and  hard.  Still,  it  becomes  her ;  we  would  not 
wish  her  to  be  less  sternly  honest,  but " 

"Do  not  be  troubled,  mother.  She  is  dear  to  me 
as  she  is.  I  would  not  have  her  otherwise.  We  are 
in  thorough  accord.  I  understand  her  words  and 
her  acts  as  if  they  were  my  own ;  and  I  think  it  is 
the  same  on  her  part.  I  know  she  prefers  me  to 
others,  and  for  me  she  is  the  one  woman  who  can 
make  me  happy.  If  I  cannot  win  her,  I  shall  hardly 
marry, — you  know  what  I  think  of  the  women  of 
to-day." 

"  Marie  Louise  will  not  say  you  nay,  and  her  grand- 
parents will  gladly  know  you  the  heir  of  Eavenhorst. 
Ah,  Magnus,  it  will  be  the  second  time  that  a  Treffen- 
bach wooes  and  wins  a  Louise  von  Plattow!  My 
dearest,  may  you  be  blest,  as  I  have  been,  in  richest 
measure " 

The  last  words  were  scarcely  audible,  and  the 
mother's  eyes,  now  weary  again,  slowly  closed.  Her 
hand  rested  in  her  son's,  and  he  sat  motionless  beside 
her,  watching  the  slumber  that  might  bring  some  re- 
newal of  strength. 

The  sun  set ;  Fräulein  Emma  brought  in  a  shaded 
lamp,  and  with  much  gesticulation  signed  to  Baron 
Treffenbach  to  leave  his  post,  since  his  supper  waited  ; 
but  he  disregarded  her  request,  and  eat  still  until  his 
mother  opened  her  ej^es  again,  and  went  on  in  a  weak 
voice,  as  if  no  interruption  had  occurred,  "He  was 
coming  too — my  good  Paster  Ehrhardt ;  tell  him  that 
the  money  is  all  ready  for  the  sewing-school ;  he  has 
the  papers.    His  wife,  my  dear,  faithful  Serena,  will  see 


VELZIN'S   GENTLE  MISTRESS  19 

that  it  is  what  I  hoped  to  make  it.  And  you,  Magnus, 
will  not  forget  my  people  :  I  know  that." 

Again  her  mind  seemed  to  wander,  and  she  mut- 
tered disconnected  sentences,  while  her  son  listened 
eagerly  for  every  word  that  might  tell  him  of  some 
duty  to  perform  for  her.  So  the  long  night  wore  on. 
The  fading  life  still  fluttered  its  wings  on  the  borders 
of  the  dark  valley,  and  the  tired  eyes  seemed  to  say 
each  time  that  they  opened,  "  What !  still  alive  ?" 

The  soul  could  not  forsake  the  body  while  one  in- 
tense desire  was  still  unfulfilled,  one  farewell  un- 
spoken ;  a  longing  to  speak  this  word  prolonged  the 
final  struggle. 

The  morning  brought  no  decided  change.  She  slept 
quietly ;  but  as  each  breath  might  be  the  last,  Baron 
Treffenbach  could  not  consent  to  leave  her  for  more 
than  a  few  moments  at  a  time. 

Towards  noon  she  seemed  to  be  stronger,  and  re- 
ceived Pastor  Ehrhardt  with  a  smile.  He  came,  not 
with  any  presumptuous  idea  of  preparing  her  for 
death, — ah,  she  had  long  been  prepared  for  the  great 
change, — but  rather  to  strengthen  his  own  faith  by  be- 
holding her  perfect  trust  and  resignation.  She  gave 
him  kind  words  of  farewell  for  his  wife  and  little  ones, 
who  had  been  her  special  fi-iends  in  the  village,  and 
after  he  had  taken  his  leave  the  day  passed  quietly, 
until  just  as  night  was  falling  the  wheels  of  a  carriage 
were  heard,  and  the  sick  woman  raised  her  head. 
"He  has  come,  Magnus,"  she  said,  with  a  smile  of 
content. 

TrefFenbach  arose  and  left  the  room.  As  he  did  so 
he  heard  in  the  distance  the  rattle  of  a  sabre,  and  a 
loud,  clear  voice  saying,  in  surprise,  "  What  ?  Is  my 
son  here  too  ?" 


20  VIOLETTA 

"Yes,  father,"  tlio  young  man  replied,  as  he  entered 
the  hall. 

"  God  bless  you,  my  boy  I  But  tell  me,  for  heaven's 
sake,  is  it  anything  serious  ?" 

His  Excellency  General  von  Treffenbach  was  a  man 
of  a  very  distinguished  appearance.  Judging  from  his 
rank  and  preferment,  he  should  have  been  between  sixty 
and  seventy  years  old,  but  no  one  seeing  him  for  the 
first  time  would  have  thought  him  much  past  fifty.  A 
brilliant  military  career,  which  he  owed  to  his  personal 
qualifications  and  his  mental  superiority,  had  borne 
him  victoriously  over  the  crest  of  this  world's  wave. 
If,  as  his  detractors  avowed,  he  were  in  reality  a  cold- 
hearted,  ambitious  man  of  the  world,  a  thorough  egotist, 
he  certainly  possessed  a  personal  charm  to  which  much 
is  forgiven  and  in  which  his  son  was  totally  lacking. 

"  I  am  afraid,  sir,"  said  Treffenbach,  looking  his 
father  heroically  in  the  face,  "  that  you  must  prepare 
for  the  worst." 

"  What,  what  ?  Good  heavens  1  Magnus  I  is  she 
dead?" 

"  Not  yet." 

His  father  threw  aside  his  cloak.  "  I  must  see  her 
immediately,"  he  said,  in  great  agitation.  "  Not  the 
least  idea  of  this.  The  despatch  bade  me  come  to  her, 
for  she  was  ill.  Of  course  I  came  as  soon  as  possible. 
What  is  it  ?     The  old  trouble  ?" 

"  So  it  seems.     The  lungs  are  terribly  affected." 

"  I  am  shocked, — horribly  shocked !  But  we  must 
not  give  up  hope,  ray  boy.  Your  poor  mother  was 
always  delicate,  always  ailing.  Perhaps  she  may  re- 
cover from  this  attack." 

Magnus,  who  had  preceded  his  father,  silently 
opened  the  door  of  his  mother's  room. 


VELZIirS  GENTLE  MISTRESS  21 

At  the  first  glance  at  his  wife  General  Treffenbach 
grew  very  pale  :  he  could  not  but  perceive  that  there 
was  no  hope;  and  he  suddenly  became  vividly  con- 
scious that  for  more  than  twenty-seven  long  years  the 
gentle  woman  dying  there  had  been  to  him  the  most 
faithful,  affectionate,  and  considerate  of  wives. 

Touched  to  the  soul,  he  pressed  fervently  to  his  lips 
the  hand  which  she  held  towards  him,  and  said  in  a 
low  voice,  "  Ah,  Louise,  I  never  dreamed " 

He  could  not  go  on,  and  for  a  moment  there  was 
silence,  her  gaze  resting  upon  him  with  intense  affec- 
tion, and  yet  she  seemed  to  be  looking  not  at  him,  but 
back  in  thought  over  the  long  years  passed  together. 
"  Thanks,  Constantin,"  she  whispered  at  last,  carrying 
his  hand  to  her  lips. 

"You! — to  me  !"  he  exclaimed,  deeply  moved. 

"  Twenty-seven  years !"  she  went  on,  and  again  a 
happy  smile  stole  over  her  face,  "  and  always — so 
happy.     Thanks!  thanks!" 

Her  son  had  softly  left  the  room.  The  moment  was 
too  sacred  even  for  his  presence. 

He  stood  in  the  anteroom,  looking  out  of  the  win- 
dow, without  really  seeing  anything.  Those  two 
human  beings,  of  whom  he  had  always  thought  to- 
gether as  his  parents,  must  part.  It  was  a  double 
death,  for  were  not  their  souls  knit  together  in  indis- 
soluble union  ? 

Oh,  it  was  cruel  I  What  agonies  were  being  endured 
in  that  room, — agonies  of  which  even  he  in  his  distress 
could  have  no  idea!  Would  the  husband,  who  was 
thus  resigning  the  best  part  of  himself,  ever  recover  ? 
Ah !  such  a  wound  could  never  close.  The  son  was 
possessed  by  a  feeling  of  intense  compassion ;  for 
what  was  his  loss  compared  with  his  father's?     How 


22  VIOLETTA 

could  that  father  live  through  the  wretched  solitude 
of  his  approaching  old  age,  bereft  of  his  other  self,  his 
gentle  consoler? 

General  Treffenbach  opened  the  door.  "  Come  in, 
Magnus,"  he  said,  brokenly ;  "  I  would  not  rob  you  of 
these  precious  minutes.     They  are  numbered." 


CHAPTEE    II 

MARIE   LOUISE 


The  day  had  dawned  when  the  mortal  remains  of 
Frau  Louise  von  Treffenbaeh  were  to  be  consigned  to 
the  Plattow  famil}^  tomb. 

Early  in  the  morning,  while  the  sun  was  rising  like 
a  fiery  crimson  ball  above  the  moor,  Magnus  Treffen- 
baeh stood  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  gazing  across  it, 
and  then  walked  slowly  towards  the  forest,  as  if  drawn 
thither  by  some  invisible  force.  He  had  kept  watch 
beside  the  coffin  all  night  long,  until  the  sun's  first  rays 
streamed  into  the  silent  flower-decked  apartment,  and 
then  he  had  come  hither  to  visit,  for  the  last  time  be- 
fore he  bade  that  dear  face  farewell,  the  paths  where 
as  a  boy  he  had  so  loved  to  walk  with  his  mother. 
He  recalled  words  spoken  by  her  at  each  familiar  spot, 
and  he  asked  himself  whether  his  life  had  been  worthy 
of  such  a  mother. 

The  lake  lay  before  him,  so  placid  that  there  was 
scarcely  the  sound  of  a  ripple  among  the  reeds.  The 
rising  sun  tinged  the  tips  of  the  long  grasses  crimson. 


MARIE  LOUISE  23 

and  on  the  expanse  of  tlie  moor  thousands  of  dcli(;ate 
gossamers  were  sparkling  in  its  early  rays. 

Magnus  stood  on  the  bi'east  of  the  dam,  and  thought 
of  the  legend  of  the  king  and  the  water-witch,  which 
had  often  been  told  him  also.  Of  all  the  legends  and 
tales  connected  with  the  moor,  none  had  made  so  deep 
an  impression  upon  him  as  had  the  ancient  story  of 
the  vanished  palace ;  perhaps  because  the  comprehen- 
sion of  this  myth  had  required  of  him  a  greater  effort 
of  mind  than  had  been  needed  for  an  appreciation  of 
the  ordinary  fairy-tales  of  his  childhood. 

However  that  might  be,  this  legend  had  fallen 
like  a  seed  into  the  mind  of  the  boy,  and  from  it 
had  sprung  a  positive  horror  of  self-indulgence  and 
deceit.  Without  clearly  understanding  why,  the  water- 
witch  who  had  dragged  the  king  down  into  eternal 
captivity  had  come  to  be  identical  in  his  mind  with 
all  that  was  frivolous  and  light-minded.  Most  women, 
and  almost  all  amusements,  he  placed  in  this  category. 
Living  in  the  midst  of  social  distractions,  made  keen 
in  his  judgment  by  daily  contact  with  the  world  of 
'society,'  no  one  could  more  thoroughly  despise  the 
shallowness,  the  superficiality,  the  falsehood  of  a  so- 
ciety life.  The  perpetual  pursuit  of  amusement,  the 
coxcombry  of  men  of  fashion,  disgusted  him,  but  he 
Buffered  in  silence,  because  ho  had  early  learned  to  find 
interest  and  enjoyment  in  a  very  different  manner  of 
living, — in  the  world  of  science  and  of  study. 

His  career  as  a  student  had  been  brilliant.  Such 
examinations  as  his  might  well  fill  a  father's  heart 
with  pride,  and  his  Excellencj^  exulted  in  his  son. 
His  university  bestowed  a  doctor's  diploma  upon  him 
in  two  branches  of  study.  In  addition  to  practical 
jurisprudence  he  interested  himself  in  philosophy  and 


24  VIOLKTTA 

theology.  This  last  impressed  him  with  its  vast  im- 
portance ;  its  study,  he  was  convinced,  must  be  pur- 
sued scientifically,  and  he  was  determined  to  do  his 
duty  in  this  respect. 

His  Excellency  began  to  be  afraid  that  his  son 
would  turn  out  a  prig.  To  guard  against  so  undesira- 
ble a  result,  he  plunged  him  into  the  great  world, — 
that  is,  he  chose  for  him  a  diplomatic  career.  TreflFen- 
bach  was  easily  persuaded  to  embrace  it,  since  he 
knew  that  as  attache  of  the  German  embassy  at  St. 
Petersburg  his  time  would  be  almost  entirely  at  his 
own  disposal.  He  published  two  or  three  very  inter- 
esting brochures  that  established  his  reputation  as  a 
man  of  decided  ability ;  he  attracted  the  attention  of 
his  government,  and  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in 
procuring  him  a  high  oflicial  appointment  should  he 
desire  one. 

"  Yes,"  he  said  to  himself  as  he  entered  the  forest 
and  paced  the  path  beneath  the  ancient  firs, — "yes, 
mother,  errors  and  mistakes  I  have  often  made,  but 
I  know  of  nothing  in  my  life  that  I  would  hide  from 
your  pure  gaze.  I  have  honestly  tried  to  do  the 
right,  and  with  her  in  your  place  beside  me  I  shall 
never  relax  my  efforts !" 

The  muflfled  tones  of  the  church  bell  roused  him 
from  his  reflections.  The  sound  came  wafted  across 
the  lake  like  a  ghostly  plaint  of  the  captive  king  from 
his  submerged  palace. 

Treffenbach  retraced  his  steps  with  a  heavy  heart, 
for  he  knew  to  what  the  bell  was  summoning  him. 
The  darkest  hour  of  the  day  was  yet  to  come. 

The  funeral  guests  were  numerous.  The  long  rail- 
way journey,  the  rough  country  roads,  had  not  discour- 
aged those  who  were  eager  to  pay  the  last  token  of 


MARIE  LOUISE  25 

respect  to  the  general's  wife.  The  hall  where  the 
coffin  stood  was  crowded  with  officers,  and  all  the 
Plattow  connection,  which  was  extensive,  was  present. 

In  the  church-yard,  before  the  opened  grating  of  the 
family  tomb.  Pastor  Ehrhardt,  in  addition  to  the  funeral 
service,  spoke  a  few  words  that  told  of  the  saintly  life 
of  the  dead,  of  her  gentleness  and  unselfishness,  her 
truth  and  nobility  of  character.  There  was  much,  in- 
deed, that  he  could  not  tell :  of  how  willingly  she  had 
sacrificed  her  health,  which  the  whirl  of  city  life  had 
destroyed, — of  how  she  had  trained  her  son  to  feel  that 
his  father  was  in  all  things  the  noblest  and  most  mag- 
nanimous of  men, — of  her  calm  acquiescence  in  her 
lot  of  mental  isolation,  never  complaining,  but  always 
finding  occasion  for  gratitude  in  her  daily  life, — of  all 
this  he  could  not  speak ;  but  there  was  enough  to  praise 
without  it. 

Treffenbach  stood  on  one  side,  motionless,  as  in  a 
dream,  noting  various  trifles  with  exact  observation, 
while  his  power  to  suffer  seemed  dulled.  In  his  mem- 
ory of  this  day  a  large  part  was  borne  by  a  tuft  of 
nodding  asters  on  a  grave  near  by ;  they  filled  him 
with  a  vague  wonder  why  the  frail  flowers  had  out- 
lived what  was  so  much  more  precious. 

And  then  all  was  over,  and  the  funeral  train  had 
departed  without  her  whom  they  had  brought  hither. 
No  one  disturbed  him  as  he  lingered  to  superintend 
the  locking  of  the  heavy  iron  grating ;  then  the  men 
whose  business  this  was  also  left,  and  he  stood  alone 
with  the  large  rusty  key  in  his  hand,  gazing  at  the 
scutcheon  and  inscriptions  and  at  the  bronze  knight 
lying  with  folded  hands  on  the  stone  at  his  feet. 

Gone,  gone  from  his  life  forever !  He  started,  not 
because  of  this  sad  reflection,  but  because  he  seemed 

B  3 


26  VIOLETTA 

suddenly  to  seo  her  before  liim,  there  at  the  head  of 
the  broad  stone  before  the  tomb,  clad  in  black,  tall 
and  slender  as  if  ascended  from  the  earth  in  renewed 
youth  and  wondrous  beauty,  arisen  from  darkness  and 
death  with  the  face  she  used  to  wear  when,  with  a 
rose  in  her  bosom,  she  led  him  by  the  hand.  There 
she  stood,  with  the  waving  golden  hair  wound  like  an 
antique  crown  about  her  small  head,  with  the  calm 
pure  brow,  the  large  blue  eyes,  the  delicately  modelled 
features,  but  cold  and  lifeless  as  a  marble  statue,  as 
if,  like  a  butterfly  just  emerged  from  the  chrysalis 
into  light  and  air,  she  had  not  yet  wakened  to  per- 
fect life.  If  the  resemblance  to  the  dead  had  not  been 
so  great,  this  apparition  would  merely  have  produced 
an  impression  of  severe  gravity  and  intellectual  supe- 
riority ;  but  as  it  was,  it  suggested  the  face  of  the  de- 
parted, with  all  the  loving  ardour,  which  was  its  chief 
charm,  vanished. 

"  Marie  Louise,"  he  said  at  last. 

She  turned  and  offered  him  her  hand.  "  Dear 
Magnus,  you  have  my  entire  sympathy,"  she  said, 
frankly.  "  The  noblest,  the  most  unselfish  of  spirits 
has  gone  home.     "We  all  know  what  we  have  lost." 

He  gazed  into  her  eyes,  and  could  not  turn  away  his 
own.  It  seemed  to  hira  that  she  must  be  his, — his  by 
an  irreversible  decree. 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  words,  Marie,"  he  said,  "  and 
still  more  for  coming  hither  to-day  to  console  me  by 
your  presence.  It  seems  as  if  I  had  not  wholly  lost 
her  while  I  see  you  before  me." 

She  returned  his  gaze  without  embarrassment.  "  It 
pleases  me  to  hear  you  say  so,  Magnus.  You  ought 
to  come  to  Eavenhorst  now;  it  would  do  you  good. 
You  are  looking  very  ill." 


MARIE  LOUISE  27 

"Yes,  I  sliould  like  to  come.  I  have  pleasant  mem- 
ories of  my  visits  to  you,  of  your  grandmother's  kind- 
ness, of  the  patriarchal  life  in  the  old  house,  of  our 
studying  together  on  the  terrace,  of  the  motto  over 
your  door,  which  you  chose  for  your  own  when  you 
were  a  girl  of  thirteen,  '  With  all  thy  might,  Do  thou 
the  right.'  See  here,  Marie."  He  took  a  heavy  gold 
ring  from  his  finger  and  handed  it  to  her.  She  took 
it,  and  read  the  words  engraved  within  it,  'With  all 
thy  might,  Do  thou  the  right.' 

Thus  they  stood  beside  each  other,  death  below 
them  and  blooming  life  around  them.  A  slender 
branch  of  juniper  drooping  over  the  wall  touched 
the  girl's  cheek  caressingly  as  she  handed  the  ring 
back.  He  hesitated  to  take  it.  "  Why  not  keep  it, 
Marie  ?" 

"  Why  should  I  ?"  she  asked,  quietly.  "  I  carry  my 
motto  in  my  heart.  I  have  no  need  to  wear  it  written 
in  gold." 

"  I  would  not  have  the  ring  remind  you  of  it,  but  of 
me." 

"  I  think  of  you  often.  There  is  no  need  of  such  a 
memento." 

"  You  do  not  think  of  me  in  the  sense Can  you 

not  see,  Marie,  how  hard  it  would  be  for  me  to  go 
from  you  now,  leaving  you  free,  unbound,  without  a 
word  to  tell  me  that  I  am  more  to  you  than  others  ? 
And  you  must  know  what  was  her  last  wish,  what  she 
would  so  gladly  have  lived  to  see." 

Her  cheek  flushed  slightly.  "  Oh,  Magnus !  to-day, 
— here  and  now  I"  she  said,  looking  at  him  almost 
angrily. 

"Precisely, — here  and  now  I  When  I  saw  you 
standing  there,  it  seemed  to  me  that  she  must  have 


28  VIOLETTA 

sent  you, — a  ray  of  light  in  darkness.  Marie,  I  ask 
for  no  promise,  no  word  that  can  fetter  you:  all  I 
would  know  is  whether  I  must  resign  all  hope,  or 
whether  I  may  not  at  some  future  time  tell  you  all 
that  is  in  my  heart." 

She  gazed  thoughtfully  at  him.  "  I  cannot,  Magnus, 
reply  at  once  to  so  important  a  question.  I  need 
not  tell  you — you  know  how  highly  I  esteem  you.  I 
can  look  up  to  you,  while  I  cannot  but  look  down  upon 
other  young  men.  I  know  you  my  superior,  and  that 
gives  me  confidence  in  you.  But  before  I  give  you  an 
answer  I  must  probe  myself  and  reflect.  The  happi- 
ness of  two  lives  is  at  stake.  You  know  how  ardently 
I  desire  to  do  my  duty.  One  subject  for  grave  consid- 
eration suggests  itself  immediately;  it  will  doubtless 
be  followed  by  many  others.  I  never  can  consent  to 
live  in  a  whirl  of  society.  You  have  likened  me  to 
your  mother,  but  I  think  I  am  made  of  sterner  stuff. 
She  patiently  acquiesced  in  her  husband's  require- 
ments, although  she  found  no  satisfaction  in  the  friv- 
olous round  of  so-called  duties  which  her  position 
involved.  I  could  never  act  contrary  to  my  princi- 
ples ;  and  since  I  hold  such  a  life  a  great  wrong  done 
to  ourselves,  to  precious  time,  to  our  purest  ideals, 
neither  the  fear  nor  the  love  of  man  could  tempt 
me  to  consent  to  this  wrong.  My  place  is  in  Eaven- 
horst,  and  I  shall  never  leave  my  old  grandparents. 
I  owe  them  this  for  their  tender  care  of  me.  They 
need  my  youthful  strength  to  help  them  to  bear  the 
burden  of  their  years.  Whoever  marries  me  must 
be  to  them  a  son  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word. 
XTpon  this  condition  only  could  I  consent  to  marry. 
You  see,  I  have  spoken  frankly;  and  now  perhapa 
you  would  fain  take  time  to  consider.     For  you  would 


IN  THE  SEASON  29 

have   to   sacrifice   much, — your    ambition   and    your 
freedom." 

There  was  a  pause.  Together  they  walked  slowly 
across  the  church-yard.  At  last  Magnus  said,  "  If  I 
hesitated  a  moment,  it  was  because  I  thought  first  of 
my  father.  For  myself,  Marie," — he  took  her  hand 
and  carried  it  to  his  lips, — "  every  word  of  yours  finds 
an  echo  in  my  own  soul.  I  would  that  even  now  all 
were  as  you  would  have  it.  I  know  no  ambition  save 
that  which  will  lead  me  to  do  my  best,  wherever  I 
may  be.  I  shall  go  back  now  to  St.  Petersburg,  but 
in  six  months  I  shall  return  to  you  to  ask  the  happi- 
ness of  my  life  at  your  hands." 


CHAPTEE  III 


IN   THE   SEASON 


The  season  was  at  its  height.  Every  evening  pal- 
aces and  theatres,  ball-rooms,  and  places  of  amusement 
of  all  ranks  and  descriptions  in  the  German  capital 
were  brilliantly  illuminated.  Loud  music  resounded 
from  the  concert-halls,  languishing  waltzes  from  many 
a  distinguished  private  mansion,  in  front  of  which 
carriages  were  standing  in  long  files.  The  snow 
crackled,  the  air  was  as  sharp  as  a  keen  knife,  and  in 
the  canopy  of  night  the  stars  flashed  and  sparkled  as 
if  shaking  their  golden  heads  at  the  behaviour  of  the 
mad  world  below,  dancing  and  shouting  and  quaffing 
champagne,  just  at  the  time  when  the  poor  are  suf- 
fering most,  and  which  Christendom  is  supposed  to 

3* 


30  VIOLETTA 

spend  in  calm  meditation, — the  time  between  the  two 
great  festivals  of  the  church.  "  It  is  surely  either 
thoughtlessness  or  a  spirit  of  contradiction  that  leads 
us  to  turn  night  into  day,  and  our  winter  into  flowery 
spring." 

"  Good  heavens,  Hess,  you  philosophize  quite  a  la 
Treffenbach,"  said  a  short,  olive-complexioned  Uhlan 
officer,  as  he  walked  beside  a  tall,  distinguished-look- 
ing man  in  civilian's  dress  along  a  brilliantly  lighted 
street,  casting  a  glance  from  time  to  time  into  the 
goi'geous  shop-windows ;  "  but  I  must  confess  I  have 
not  been  paying  much  attention  to  your  grumbling. 
I  have  been  excusing  myself  to  my  stomach  for  the 
bad  dinner  I  forced  upon  it  at  Reckau's.  It  was  abom- 
inable, was  it  not  ?  Poor  oysters  and  miserable  cham- 
pagne !" 

"  Don't  interrupt  my  profound  reflections  with  such 
trivial  stuff,"  said  the  other,  solemnly  pulling  at  the 
long  drooping  moustache,  which  gave  a  certain  air  of 
melancholy  to  his  face,  quite  belied  by  his  'glance  and 
voice.  "  I  am  not  in  the  mood  to  be  irritated  by  in- 
digestible viands.  Look  at  those  starry  skies,  young 
man,  and  then  talk  of  oysters !  We  never  had  a  more 
brilliant  winter's  evening  in  St.  Petersburg,  where  we 
used  on  such  a  night  to  skate  upon  the  illuminated 
Neva,  and  Treffenbach  corrected  my  crude  ideas  with 
regard  to  pretty  women  by  allusions  to  a  certain 
Marie  Louise  von  Plattow." 

The  little  lieutenant  pretended  to  shiver.  "BrrI 
Have  you  seen  her  ?" 

"  Not  yet.  I'm  tremendously  curious.  Is  she  hand- 
gome  ?  Treffenbach  said  nothing  about  that.  It  was 
an  entirely  secondary  consideration  in  his  opinion. 
Ah,  ye  stars, — a  secondary  consideration  I" 


IN  THE  SEASON  31 

The  lieutenant  evidently  found  cause  for  self-gratu- 
lation  in  the  fact  that  he  had  seen  something  which 
his  companion  had  not. 

"  I  saw  her  yesterday,"  he  said,  with  an  air  of  im- 
nortance.  "  Handsome  ?  Well,  you  know,  Hess,  in 
ihat  respect  I'm — a  confoundedly  severe  critic." 

Hess  looked  down  sideways  at  the  speaker  with 
gentle  contempt  in  his  eyes. 

"  I  know  it,  my  dear  Schlacken,  and  therefore  beg 
you  to  honour  me  with  your  valuable  verdict." 

"  Well,  then, — handsome,  yes,  I  suppose  she  is,  but 
all  ice." 

"  Where  did  you  see  her  ?" 

"At  President  Bellwitz's.  To  be  frank,  it  was 
for  only  a  moment.  You  know  Frau  von  Bellwitz 
is  her  cousin  or  something.  I  was  calling  there  when 
she  came  in.  They  have  been  in  town  two  days  on 
account  of  an  affection  of  old  Herr  von  Plattow's  ej^es. 
He  is,  I  believe,  threatened  with  blindness,  and  is 
perhaps  to  undergo  an  operation.  Fräulein  Ehona 
explained  it  all  to  me,  but  I  never  can  be  made  to  un- 
derstand relationships.  But  where  is  Treffenbach? 
I've  not  seen  him  since  you  came  back  fi-om  St.  Peters- 
burg." 

"  Studjnng  in  his  rooms,  I  suppose,  while  I  saunter 
about  and  look  up  old  friends.  Three  years  are  an 
age.  Little  girls  grow  into  ball-room  belles  in  that 
time.     The  little  Bellwitz  must  be  very  pretty." 

'-  Charming !"  Schlacken  assented,  his  hand  on  his 
heart. 

"  Edmund,  Edmund,  that  sounds  quite  sentimental. 
And  how  is  my  old  friend  the  Princess  Menardi?" 

"  Good  heavens !  where  did  you  become  acquainted 
vvith  her?" 


32  VIOL  ETTA 

"  I  first  knew  licr  some  years  ago  in  Venice,  where 
she  was  living  in  great  splendour,  and  making  a  pet 
of  La  Beatrice,  because,  as  she  declared,  an  actress  of 
so  unsullied  a  reputation  was  more  to  be  honoured 
than  a  Carmelite  nun.     What  is  she  about  here  ?" 

"  Ah,  you  must  go  there.  Her  evenings  are  most 
entertaining,  but  you  must  make  up  your  mind  to 
meet  some  very  queer  people.  Not  long  ago  an  engi- 
neer of  the  Pacific  Eailway,  who  had  heroically  pre- 
vented a  collision  between  two  trains,  figured  in  her 
drawing-rooms,  and  only  last  week  she  introduced 
a  certain  Augustus  Stark,  a  carpenter,  who  had  been 
lauded  in  all  the  papers  for  saving  from  drowning 
five  men  who  broke  through  the  ice.  But  here  we 
are  at  the  opera-house." 

"  True,  I  had  quite  forgotten  where  we  were  going. 
And  so  she  is  here.     For  how  long  ?" 

Schlacken  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  Who  can  tell 
for  how  long  the  management  can  contrive  to  secure 
her?     They  say  she  is  fearfully  exacting." 

"  The  queens  of  art  have  a  right  to  be  so.    Allons .'" 

They  entered  the  vestibule.  While  Hess  was  look- 
ing for  his  ticket  Schlacken  stared  through  his  eye- 
glass at  the  crowd  that  was  besieging  the  ticket-office 
in  hopes  of  finding  places  in  the  auditorium,  although 
the  ticket-seller  continued  to  repeat  courteously  and 
distinctly,  "  All  gone,  gentlemen,  all  sold." 

Hess  paused  before  a  mirror  to  arrange  his  cravat, 
and  the  glass  reflected  a  head  with  close  blond  curls, 
bright  keen  eyes,  and  a  genial  exj^ression.  Unfortu- 
nately, the  large  drooping  moustache  concealed  the 
good-humoured  smile,  and  there  were  people  who  con- 
sidered Count  Armin  von  Hess  a  grave,  melancholy 
man. 


IN   THE  SEASON  33 

As  they  entered  the  brilliantly-lighted  crowded 
house  the  overture  had  just  ended  with  a  loud  crash. 
There  was  a  pause  of  expectation ;  the  curtain  shook 
as  if  uncertain  whether  to  rise ;  here  and  there  some 
of  the  audience  began  to  applaud,  others  joined  in, 
and  the  noise  grew  louder  every  moment.  "When  the 
curtain  at  last  rose,  it  was  amid  a  thunder  of  applause 
that  seemed  to  shake  the  house  to  its  foundations. 

And  she  who  was  thus  enthusiastically  welcomed 
stood  in  the  midst  of  fairy-like  scenery  like  some 
magic  flower  of  beauty,  inclining  her  head  and  slightly 
smiling  in  acknowledgment  of  this  greeting. 

La  Beatrice ! 

The  fame  of  her  beauty,  of  her  genius,  of  her  ex- 
quisite voice,  and  of  her  personal  grace  and  charm 
had  preceded  her,  but  she  exceeded  all  expectations. 

Little  Schlacken  ruined  his  gloves  in  the  ecstasy  of 
his  applause.  But  the  first  tone  of  that  wondrous 
voice  broke  its  way  through  the  uproar,  and  in  an  in- 
stant the  house  was  as  silent  as  the  grave.  The  rustle 
of  a  programme  could  have  been  plainly  heard.  Ladies 
leaned  far  beyond  the  front  of  their  boxes  to  see  more 
clearly,  and  every  face  expressed  intense  delight. 

When  the  prima  donna  had  finished,  the  storm  broke 
forth  afresh. 

"  Desperately  fine !"  Schlacken  declared.  "  One 
could  listen  forever." 

^^  Look  forever,  you  mean,  you  young  hypocrite," 
Hess  rejoined.  "Let  us,  between  ourselves,  confess 
that  we  know  nothing  of  music.  But  her  eyes, — 
her  eyes !" 

"As  you  please.  Look,  there  are  the  Bellwitzes  in 
their  box;  now  you  can  see  Fi'äulein  Ehona!  There 
is  his  Excellency  von  Treffenbach  just  opposite." 


34  VIOL  ETTA 

"  True,"  said  Hess,  leaning  forward ;  "  a  magnificent 
figure  of  a  man,  and  he  looks  well  this  evening, 
although  they  say  that  in  consequence  of^ — what  was 
it? — increasing  age,  he  is  thinking  of  resigning." 

"  Not  so  loud,  for  heaven's  sake,  Armin,"  Schlacken 
whispered  in  great  agitation. 

Count  Hess  looked  at  him  with  a  pitying  smile. 

"  We  know  nothing  of  it  yet,"  Schlacken  insisted. 
"Why  spread  such  reports?  And  there  is  Colonel 
Schlettau  just  in  front  of  us!  What  if  he  should 
hear  you  ?" 

"  Don't  be  uneasy ;  he  is  stone  deaf" 

"  To  hint  that  his  Excellency  could  have  declined 
from  favour !     Not  a  word  of  truth  in  it,  I  swear." 

"  Why  feel  yourself  called  upon  to  do  that  ?"  said 
Count  Hess,  good-humouredly.  "  But  enough  I  Reve- 
nons  ä  nos  moutons." 

"  La  Beatrice  w^ould  be  greatly  indebted  to  you  if 
you  mean  by  that  to  refer  to  her,"  Schlacken  muttered, 
crossly. 

"We'll  not  quarrel,  my  young  cousin,"  said  Hess, 
paternally.  "  I  did  not  bring  you  up  for  that."  And 
the  good-natured  little  Schlacken  smiled  in  spite  of  his 
vexation. 

After  the  first  act  the  two  men  went  to  pay  their 
respects  to  the  Bellwitzes.  The  father,  who  held  a 
distinguished  ofiice  under  the  government,  was  a  little 
man,  who  concealed  a  somewhat  commonplace  capacity 
beneath  a  pompous  manner.  He  left  the  conversation 
entirely  to  his  stout,  good-humoured  wife.  The  daugh- 
ter was  one  of  the  belles  of  the  season, — a  pretty  little 
rosy  brunette.  She  rattled  ®n  to  Schlacken  about 
balls,  quadrilles  on  horseback,  and  the  fine  skating, 
and  promised  him  a  dozen  dances  within  the  next  two 


IN   THE  SEASON  35 

weeks,  which  he  carefully  jotted  down  in  his  note- 
book, asking  her  as  he  did  so  whether  Fräulein  von 
Plattow  was  going  into  society. 

"  My  cousin  ?  I  doubt  it.  She  calls  halls  and  sleigh- 
ing-parties  the  nonsense  of  childish  fools." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Fräulein  Bellwitz  ?"  asked 
Count  Hess. 

"  Just  what  I  say.     I  merely  quote  her  own  words." 

"Rhona  is  quite  afraid  of  her  strict  cousin,"  the 
President's  wife  said,  with  a  laugh. 

"  How  could  I  be  otherwise  ?  she  is  as  learned  as 
Magnus  Treffenbach." 

"  Oh,  Count  Hess,  you  are  his  friend  and  confidant, 
and  can  tell  us  whether  Magnus  Treffenbach  is  going 
to  Brussels  as  Secretary  of  Legation." 

"  I  suppose  so." 

"But  my  niece,  Marie  Louise,  maintains  that  he  is 
going  to  give  up  his  diplomatic  career  and  retire  to 
his  estates  in  the  Margraviate.  What  could  induce 
him  to  do  so  ?  With  his  intelligence,  his  force !  They 
say  the  general,  too, — it  would  be  odd  if  both  father 
and  son " 

"  Hush !"  said  the  President.  This,  by  the  way,  was 
the  only  word  he  had  yet  spoken,  but  it  was  an  effec- 
tive one.  His  wife  instantly  suppressed  her  love  of 
gossip  and  began  to  talk  of  Wagner's  music. 

When  the  curtain  rose  again  the  two  gentlemen  took 
their  leave. 

"  That  Count  Hess  is  quite  charming,"  said  Ehona, 
directing  her  opera-glass  to  the  stage  again ;  "  so 
comme  ilfaut,  and  so  merry  withal." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  her  mother  replied,  absently. 

Meanwhile,  the  object  of  this  admiration  had  sepa- 
rated from  his  younger  companion,  and  leaving  the 


36  VIOL  ETTA 

theatre,  had  gone  to  the  nearest  large  hotel  to  gup. 
The  dining-hall  was  brilliantly  lighted,  but  almost 
empty.  In  one  corner,  however,  there  sat  at  a  table 
three  people,  conversing  in  undertones.  Hess  occupied 
himself  with  the  menu,  and  would  bardly  have  no- 
ticed them  had  not  the  name  of  Treffenbach,  repeated 
frequentl}',  attracted  his  attention.  Involuntarily  he 
looked  towards  them.  One  of  the  two  ladies  sat  with 
her  back  to  him,  and  she  was  the  principal  speaker. 
The  old  gentleman  and  lady,  who,  in  spite  of  their 
distinguished  air,  had  an  indescribable  something 
about  them  that  proclaimed  them  from  the  provinces, 
were  for  the  most  part  listening. 

"  If  that  is  the  doctor's  verdict,"  the  speaker  said,  in 
clear  sonorous  tones,  "  there  is  nothing  for  us  but  to 
stay  in  town  until  March." 

The  old  lady  made  some  inaudible  reply,  and  again 
the  subdued  but  distinct  voice  spoke :  "  You  are  per- 
fectly right,  grandmamma.  For  your  sake  I  will 
prove  those  wrong  who  think  that  I  have  not  suffi- 
cient self-possession  to  face  the  world  of  society.  For 
myself  I  care  not  what  they  say.  I  will  go  to  those 
entertainments  which  I  could  not  avoid  except  by 
pleading  that  I  am  still  in  mourning  for  Aunt  Louise, 
which  would  be  a  prevarication  to  which  I  will  not 
descend.  The  fact  is  that  I  laid  aside  my  mourn- 
ing a  week  before  we  resolved  to  take  this  journey. 
Now  I  am  sorry  that  I  did  so,  but  it  cannot  be 
helped." 

Again  the  old  people  made  some  remarks,  that  fell 
only  as  an  indistinct  murmur  upon  the  Count's  ear. 
She  replied  rather  impatiently,  "  I  shall  never  be  great 
friends  with  Ehona.  She  is  superficial  and  frivolous, 
with  no  higher  interests  than  a  ball.    I  grant  that  she 


IN   THE  SEASON  37 

is  one  of  the  best  of  them,  for  she  is  good-humoured, 
and  not  at  all  envious  nor  given  to  deceit." 

At  this  moment  a  gentleman  entered  the  dining- 
hall,  and,  passing  close  to  Hess,  turned  to  speak  to 
him. 

"Ah,  good-evening,  Treffenbach,"  said  the  Count, 
springing  up  ;  "  at  last  I  see  you." 

"  I  want  to  ascertain  the  result  of  the  first  examina- 
tion of  my  uncle's  eyes." 

"  And  then  will  you  present  me  ?" 

"  With  pleasure.     Come  with  me." 

They  walked  across  the  room,  and  Count  Hess  found 
himself  confronting  the  young  lady  whose  face  he  had 
been  so  curious  to  see.  She  was  seated  in  the  full  light 
of  the  gas-lamps.  Her  clear,  well-opened  eyes  scanned 
him  with  a  cool  scrutiny  to  which,  from  a  beautiful 
woman,  the  spoiled  man  of  fashion  was  quite  unaccus- 
tomed. 

"  Dear  Marie,"  said  Treffenbach,  "  this  is  my  best 
friend." 

"  No  more  is  needed,"  she  said,  and  offered  him  her 
hand  with  calm  dignity.  Count  Hess  kissed  the  hand 
thus  extended  to  him,  an  action  which  she  seemed  to 
find  quite  natural. 

"  His  friend,  his  pupil,  his  shadow,"  the  Count  said ; 
"I  beg  to  be  graciously  regarded  as  such." 

If  there  were  irony  in  his  words  she  did  not  per- 
ceive it.  She  was  inclined  to  think  the  best  of  a  friend 
of  Magnus. 

The  conversation  soon  became  general  and  very 
animated.  Fräulein  von  Plattow  talked  well,  and  with 
a  frankness  that  amused  Hess  intensely.  She  regarded 
any  evasion,  not  to  say  any  untruth,  as  a  sin,  and 
when  opportunity  offered  made  no  secret  of  her  viewa 

4 


38  VIOLETTA 

with  regard  to  the  deceit  and  falsehood  of  '  society,' 
the  silly  talk  of  the  young  men,  the  levity  of  the 
women.  On  the  other  hand,  she  expressed  enthusi- 
astic approval  of  all  that  had  been  done  lately  for  the 
relief  of  want  and  misery.  Count  Hess  had  never  in 
his  life  talked  as  much  about  charitable  institutions 
as  he  did  upon  this  evening.  But  he  could  talk  tol- 
erably well  about  everything,  and  he  considered  this 
girl  a  very  interesting  study,  being  perfectly  aware 
when  and  how  to  throw  out  a  word  of  assent  or  dissent 
that  would  be  sure  to  draw  from  her  the  exj^ression 
of  her  opinion. 

The  Plattows  had  taken  up  their  abode  in  this  hotel, 
although  the  Bellwitzes  had  been  pressing  in  their  in- 
vitation to  stay  with  them.  Old  Herr  von  Plattow's 
affection  of  the  eyes  and  the  treatment  he  was  to  un- 
dergo made  entire  repose  necessary,  and  this  it  was 
impossible  to  have  in  the  house  of  President  von 
Bellwitz. 

Count  Hess  insisted  upon  conducting  the  half-blind 
old  man  up-stairs  to  his  rooms, — an  act  of  courtesy 
which  won  the  heart  of  Grandmamma  von  Plattow, 
and  which  was  also  acknowledged  by  Marie. 

The  two  gentlemen  then  took  their  leave,  and  Hess 
accompanied  his  friend  towards  the  Treffenbach  man- 
sion. 

"  What  are  your  plans,  Armin  ?"  Treffenbach  asked 
on  the  way,  after  they  had  walked  along  together  in 
silence  for  a  while,  each  occupied  with  his  own  thoughts. 

"  I  am  waiting  for  letters  from  my  father,  who  is  de- 
liberating whether  or  not  to  allow  his  dear  boy  to  follow 
the  rather  expensive  profession  of  elegant  idleness." 

"  What  if  I  proposed  you  for  the  Brussels  secretary- 
ship ?" 


IN  THE  SEASON  39 

"What?  you  are  not  going  to  take  it?  You  posi- 
tively mean  to  retire?" 

"  In  all  probability." 

"  Treffenbach,  you've  been  tremendously  reticent 
with  me  of  late.  You  tell  me  absolutely  nothing,  and 
yet  you  have  the  effrontery  to  present  me  as  your 
'  best  friend.' " 

"  To-morrow  you  shall  hear  everything." 

"  Very  good.  To-morrow  I  shall  invade  your  study 
and  carry  you  off  for  a  long  ride.  I  suppose  his  Excel- 
lency's horses  are  at  your  disposal.  That  dark  brown 
mare  is  a  beauty." 

"  Montresor  ?  She  is  my  sjieeial  property, —  my 
mother's  last  gift  to  me.  I  had  thought  of  taking  her 
to  Brussels.     She  has  a  very  fine  gait." 

"Magnificent.     Yesterday  I  saw "     Count  Hess 

paused  suddenly.  "The  deuce!"  And  he  laughed. 
"  It  is  slippery  here.  I  was  nearly  down.  But  here 
we  are  in  Wilhelms-strasse,  and  I  must  say  good-night." 

They  shook  hands,  and  he  turned  and  retraced  his 
steps  alone. 

A  stream  of  carriages  coming  from  the  theatres 
rolled  past  him.  Again  in  the  gray  light  of  dawn  the 
same  stream  would  pour  through  the  streets  when  the 
lights  in  the  ball-rooms  were  extinguished  and  the 
world  had  danced  itself  weary.  Then  the  repose  of 
night  would  first  begin  for  these  votaries  of  fashion. 

Count  Hess  walked  on,  his  hands  in  the  pockets  of 
his  fur-lined  overcoat,  lost  in  thought.  "  '  The  nonsense 
of  childish  fools ! '  I  think  that  was  it.  She  is  worth 
more  than  a  broad  farce.  'The  nonsense  of  childish 
fools !' " 


40  VIOLETTA 


CHAPTEE  ly 

STUDENT  AND   FRIEND 

Since  the  death  of  its  mistress  nothing  had  been 
changed  in  the  brilliant  mansion  of  General  von  Tref- 
fenbaeh.  In  her  drawing-rooms  everything  was  just 
as  she  had  left  it.  The  folding-doors  were  wide  open, 
and  his  Excellency  daily  frequented  these  rooms,  filled 
with  luxurious  blue  damask  furniture  and  costly  oil- 
paintings.  Sometimes,  in  conversation  with  a  friend, 
he  would  linger  near  the  middle  window,  looking 
down  into  the  street  and  resting  his  hand  upon  the 
pretty  little  work-table  at  which  his  wife  had  been 
wont  to  sit  so  constantly,  her  busy  fingers  completing 
hundreds  of  warm  little  garments,  that  vanished  duly, 
— whither  ?  No  one  knew,  for  no  one  asked.  And 
whoever  spent  an  hour  beside  her  here  was  sure  to 
depart  richer  in  mind  and  heart. 

The  direction  of  the  household  was  now  given  over 
entirely  to  Fräulein  Emma.  The  Fräulein  was  a  dis- 
tant relative  of  the  general's  deceased  wife.  Her 
mother,  a  Yon  Plattow,  had  made  a  foolish  marriage, 
which  ended  in  destitution  and  misery.  She  had  fallen 
in  love  at  some  watering-place  with  a  '  Russian 
Count,'  and  had  discovered  too  late  that  he  was  nei- 
ther Eussian  nor  Count,  but  a  clerk  in  a  large  bank- 
ing-house, who  had  been  dismissed  from  his  position 
on  suspicion  of  embezzlement.  He  ran  off  with  her 
dowry  to  America,  leaving  her  to  j^overty  and  disgrace, 
which  she  did'  not  long  survive.    Her  child  was  a  poor 


STUDENT  AND   FRIEND  41 

little  creature  but  scantily  gifted  by  nature.  No  one 
would  assume  the  care  of  her,  least  of  all  the  Plattows, 
who  could  not  forgive  one  of  their  name  for  throw- 
ing herself  away  upon  a  swindler.  At  last  Frau  von 
Treffenbach  heard  of  this  relative  who  was  condemned 
to  play  Cinderella  among  strangers,  and  she  sent  for 
her,  was  impressed  by  her  simplicity  and  gentle  na- 
ture, and  had  kept  her  with  her  for  twenty  years.  It 
was  impossible  now  to  imagine  the  household  without 
her.  Her  small,  slender  figure,  her  sympathetic  face, 
almost  always  swollen  and  framed  in  a  black  silk  ker- 
chief, was  part  and  parcel  of  the  whole.  Although 
apparently  yielding  as  wax,  she  knew  admirably  well 
how  to  preserve  discipline  and  order  among  the  ser- 
vants. She  understood  that  the  elegance  of  an  estab- 
lishment depends  far  less  upon  the  coat  of  the  master 
than  upon  that  of  the  footman.  The  trifling  domestic 
duties  which  the  general's  wife  had  performed  now  fell 
to  Fräulein  Emma's  lot ;  and  as  this  fact  was  one  that 
affected  her  deeply,  the  general  for  some  weeks  after 
his  wife's  death  sipped  his  coffee  and  took  his  soup  to 
an  accompaniment  of  streaming  tears  from  the  Fräu- 
lein,— an  infliction  which,  howevei',  he  bore  with  praise- 
worthy equanimity. 

The  worthy  Fräulein's  grief  now  had  with  it  some 
admixture  of  joy,  in  once  more  having  her  dear  young 
attache  beneath  his  father's  roof.  She  could  talk  with 
him  of  the  beloved  old  times,  and  could  understand 
his  emotion  in  being  for  the  first  time  in  these  familiar 
rooms  after  their  very  soul  had  left  them. 

Baron  Magnus  had  his  OAvn  special  rooms  beneath 
this  roof,  and  thus  made  his  father's  house  really  his 
home.  His  apartments  wei-e  small,  but  just  as  he 
liked  them.     Adjoining  his  bedroom  was  a  delightful 

4* 


42  VIOLETTA 

Btudy, — the  walls  lined  with  book-shelves.  The  books 
upon  his  large  writing-table  were  arranged  by  him  in 
what  to  him  was  convenient  order,  but  to  the  unin- 
itiated chaotic  confusion,  and  here  he  sat  for  days, 
blind  and  deaf  to  the  world  outside,  never  dreaming 
of  what  was  said  and  discussed  there. 

"  My  dear  boy,"  said  the  general,  entering  this  quiet 
sanctuary  like  a  god  of  war  in  full  panoply,  all  clank 
and  glitter,  "  I  must  tear  you  from  your  studies,  for  I 
have  contrived  to  have  an  hour  free  for  you.  Let  us 
say  a  word  with  regard  to  your  future.  I  am  entirely 
satisfied  with  your  choice,  and  have  come  to  offer  to 
pay  my  respects  to  the  old  people  to-day  and  to  bring 
affairs  to  a  final  settlement." 

Treffenbach  had  sprung  up  to  offer  his  father  a  chair. 
"  Thank  you,  sir,"  he  said ;  "  I  had  intended  to  have 
matters  definitively  arranged  to-day." 

The  general  sat  down,  and  drummed  a  march  upon 
the  table.  "  You  take  the  matter  very  coolly,  my  dear 
Magnus,  almost  too  coolly.  Confess,  have  you  per- 
haps changed  your  mind  in  the  course  of  the  last  six 
months  ?" 

"I?  With  regard  to  Marie  Louise?"  Treffenbach 
asked  in  such  unfeigned  surprise  that  his  father  ex- 
claimed,— 

"All  right!  all  right!  I  see  that  I  was  mistaken. 
Now  for  the  next  question.  Are  you  or  are  you  not 
going  to  Brussels  ?" 

"  I  must  inform  you  that  it  is  my  intention  entirely 
to  abandon  a  diplomatic  career."  He  spoke  with  some 
effort,  for  he  knew  that  his  father  would  dislike  to 
hear  this. 

*'  Indeed  ?  And  instead  ?"  the  general  asked,  amazed. 

"  I  have  inherited  Velzin,  and  by  my  marriage  come 


STUDENT  AND   FRIEND  43 

into  possession  of  Eavenhorst,  an  extensive  and  very 
carefully  administered  estate.  Marie  Louise  wishes 
that  I  should  relieve  her  grandparents  of  this  care, 
and  it  is  to  my  interest  to  become  familiar  betimes 
with  my  future  occupation." 

"  But,  my  dear  fellow,  with  the  assistance  of  well- 
trained  subordinates  you  could  administer  the  affairs 
of  Eavenhorst  and  live  in  Pekin  if  you  chose !  Is  this 
your  sole  reason  for  abandoning  a  brilliant  career?" 

"  I  have  no  talent  for  diplomacy." 

"  Nonsense !  you  with  your  admirable  capacity  can 
do  whatever  you  undertake." 

"  My  dear  father,"  Treffenbach  said,  after  a  little  re- 
flection, "  our  arguing  this  point  can  lead  to  nothing 
I  am  resolved  to  marry  Marie  Louise,  and  she  will  bo 
mine  only  upon  this  condition." 

"  Ah !  that  alters  the  case  entirely." 

"  Can  you  blame  her,"  Treffenbach  calmly  went  on, 
"  for  not  wishing  to  forsake  her  old  grandparents,  and 
for  consenting  to  a  marriage  only  upon  condition  that 
her  husband  shall  be  as  a  son  to  them,  lightening  for 
them  the  burden  of  existence  ?  Is  not  this  perfectly 
natural  ?" 

"  My  dear  boy,"  the  general  laughed,  "  the  question 
is  not  whether  I  blame  her  or  not.  It  is  enough  that 
she  bestows  her  hand  only  at  this  price.  You  are  in 
love  with  her,  and  are  determined  to  win  her  hand. 
Here,  my  son,  all  discussion  ends,  all  paternal  authority 
and  cold-blooded  calculation  cease.  I  shall  not  waste 
another  word  upon  the  subject ;  where  love  is  lord, 
words  are  superfluous.  This  afternoon  you  shall  have 
her  consent,  and  so — hasta !" 

*'  I  thank  you  for  making  matters  so  easy  for  me,  sir." 

"I  resign  myself  to  the  inevitable,"  the  general  re- 


44  VIOLETTA 

plied,  smiling,  "but  none  the  less  do  I  mourn  over 
your  rejected  laurels.  You  might  have  made  a  name 
for  yourself." 

"  Perhaps,"  Treffenbach  said,  with  some  hesitation, 
"this  ■will  make  me  a  better  name  than  could  have 
resulted  from  successful  diplomacy."  And  he  laid  his 
slender  white  hand  upon  his  manuscript. 

"What  have  you  here?"  asked  the  general,  taking 
up  at  random  one  after  another  of  the  books  that 
were  piled  up  on  the  table.  "What?  the  Koran? 
Man,  are  you  going  to  turn  Turk  ?  And  the  Talmud  ? 
And  the  Yedas?  Humboldt,  Plato,  and  Homer  have 
vanished  from  your  table.     What  does  this  mean  ?" 

"  That  I  am  devoting  my  leisure  to  the  pursuit  of 
higher  aims  than  the  investigation  of  nature  or  of 
classical  antiquity." 

"  Indeed ;  pray  tell  me  what  they  are." 

"  I  am  collecting  evidence  that  the  Christian  relig- 
ion is  not  only  the  perfect  revelation  of  Supreme  Will, 
but  the  absolute  truth,  from  which  all  other  doctrines 
diverge  like  the  rays  of  a  star!  All  heathen  relig- 
ions are  but  attempts  to  discover  God.  In  all  the 
bloody  ceremonials  of  savages  there  is  evidently  the 
attempt  to  reconcile  a  creator  with  a  renegade  crea- 
tion. We  have  in  Moses  one  of  the  greatest  represen- 
tatives of  this  doctrine.  Nations  have  fallen  to  decay 
in  vain  strivings  after  this  end,  and  from  their  ashes 
have  sprung  new  races,  attempting  with  novel  ideas 
and  novel  wisdom  to  solve  the  eternal  problem.  You 
can  easily  imagine  the  intense  interest  that  these 
studies  have  always  had  for  me.  I  began  them  at  the 
university.  Step  by  step  I  have  made  my  way  through 
the  gloom  of  centuries,  here  and  there  seeing  a  feeble 
ray  of  light,  and  always  with  fresh  wonder  at  human 


STUDENT  AND   FRIEND  45 

wisdom  and  human  blindness.  I  have  stood  expec- 
tant before  the  closed  doors  of  the  mystery,  whether 
in  the  temj^le  of  Isis  or  in  Greek  schools  of  philoso- 
phy, and  when  the  doors  opened  I  found  only  erroi-, 
for  with  increase  of  knowledge  what  was  believed  to 
be  a  revelation  of  the  Highest  faded.  Thus,  slowly 
advancing,  always  testing,  always  comparing,  I  have 
come  to  the  conviction  that  every  thread  of  truth  is 
gathered  up  in  the  Christian  religion,  that  its  founder 
is  the  personification  of  Divine  truth;  He  is  the  recon- 
ciliation so  long  desired,  the  immortality  so  ardently 
hoped  fori  And  now,"  the  speaker  concluded,  after  a 
pause,  "  I  am  comparing  the  ancient  Jewish  and  Mo- 
hammedan writers,  and  proving  from  them  the  abso- 
lute truth  of  Him  who  is  thought  to  be  their  greatest 
opponent." 

While  his  son  was  speaking,  his  Excellency  sat  lis- 
tening attentively ;  the  smile  of  derision  behind  which 
ignorance  so  often  takes  shelter  was  not  seen  on  his 
face.  He  was  a  man  whose  manifold  interests  and 
grave  studies  of  all  kinds  had  raised  him  to  the  lofty 
position  which  he  occupied.  "Without  being  a  learned 
man,  except  in  his  own  profession  of  arms,  the  gen- 
eral had  always  taken  pains  to  widen  his  stock  of 
knowledge;  he  had  read  and  thought  much,  and  could 
understand  the  satisfaction  felt  by  his  son  in  his  work, 
although  such  studies  seemed  to  him  nothing  better 
than  an  intellectual  amusement. 

But  he  took  care  not  to  say  so.  Between  the  father 
and  the  son  there  existed  that  tender  affection  which 
avoids  all  offence ;  neither  could  endure  the  thought 
of  hurting  the  other.  The  general's  smile,  therefore, 
had  nothing  of  compassion  in  it,  and  he  was  soon 
engaged  in  an  earnest  discussion.     Magnus  was  quite 


46  VIOL  ETTA 

prepared,  for  he  liked  to  sharpen  his  wits  in  argu- 
ment, and  he  argued  with  no  one  so  eagerly  as  with 
this  man,  whose  mental  vigour  he  acknowledged. 
And  the  general  was  proud  of  his  son's  ready  wit, 
his  extensive  acquirements.  He  sometimes  grew 
angry,  which  his  son  never  did.  Magnus  never  lost 
the  calm  self-possession  which  his  father  reflected 
with  a  pang  would  have  made  him  so  distinguished  a 
military  man.  While  the  two  were  enjoying  their 
argument,  a  young  man  in  riding-dress  came  up  the 
broad  entrance  steps,  rung,  and  stood  tapping  his  high 
boots  impatiently  Avith  his  whip. 

An  orderly  opened  the  door,  and  Friedrich  appeared 
instantly  at  the  sound  of  the  visitor's  voice.  "  'Tis 
the  Herr  Count !"  he  said,  his  broad,  honest  face  beam- 
ing, for  Friedrich  was  from  Velzin,  and  was  still  an 
uncut  diamond. 

"Friedrich!"  a  reproachful  voice  called  from  the 
background ;  "  what  do  you  mean  by  running  to 
meet  gentlemen  with  your  arm  full  of  soiled  nap- 
kins ?''' 

"  It  is  the  Herr  Count  Hess,"  Friedrich  stammered, 
in  self-justification. 

"  Yes,  here  he  is,"  the  new-comer  said  gayly.  "  That 
ought  to  suflSce ;  you  are  a  little  too  sti'ict  with  Fried- 
rich  !" 

Fräulein  Emma  sighed  audibly  in  the  background. 

"  Pray  show  yourself,  Fräulein  Emma.  Where  in 
the  world  are  you  ?" 

"  I  really  am  not  fit  to  be  seen.  Count ;  my  face  is 
too  much  swollen."  And  the  crack  in  a  side  door  grew 
narrower  still. 

"  But,  good  heavens,  how,  then,  am  I  ever  to  have 
the  photograph  you  promised  me  three  years  ago  ?" 


STUDENT  AND   FRIEND  47 

"Ah,  Count,  your  joking  ways  remind  me  of  the 
dear  old  times."  And  the  poor  Fräulein  sobbed  behind 
her  door. 

Hess  went  his  way  as  if  he  were  a  son  of  the  house. 
Treffenbach's  rooms  were  separated  by  a  long  corridor 
from  the  rest  of  the  mansion,  and  his  visitor  did  not 
wait  to  be  announced. 

His  entrance  interrupted  the  Avarm  debate.  The 
general  laughed,  rose,  and  shook  himself  as  if  rather 
relieved. 

"  Yes,  it  is  high  time  to  stop,  for  this  young  fellow 
is  playing  the  deuce  with  me."  And  his  eyes  sparkled 
with  paternal  pride.  "  How  are  you,  Armin  ?  Glad 
to  see  you." 

"  Thanks,  your  Excellency.  I  follow,  as  ever,  with 
modest  blushes,  in  the  footsteps  of  my  friend,  as  the 
moon  waits  upon  the  earth.  It  is  the  effect  of  a  mj^s- 
terious  law  of  nature  whose  origin  I  leave  him  to  in- 
vestigate. I  am  now  here  to  inform  him  that  the  snow 
is  glittering  and  the  sun  is  shining  outside,  and  that  it 
is  a  sin  to  sit  poring  over  a  study-table.  I  have  bor- 
rowed a  horse  of  my  cousin  Schlacken,  and  I  want 
Magnus  to  ride  with  me." 

"  Bravo !"  said  the  general.  "  That's  what  I  call  a 
true  friend." 

"  "Well,  if  it  must  be,"  Magnus  said,  resignedly,  "  1 
will  order  them  to  saddle  Montresor  for  me." 

The  general  winced  a  little,  but  said,  hastily,  "  I'll 
see  to  that,  my  boy.  You  must  change  your  dress, 
which  will  take  time;" 

He  left  the  room,  and  Treffenbach  locked  his  desk 
and  made  haste  to  don  his  riding-dress.  Count  Hess 
leaned  against  a  window-frame,  whistling  a  waltz. 

"  I   come   from   your   relatives,"    he   broke  off   his 


48  VIOLETTA 

whistling  to  say.  "  It  was  rather  early,  but  I  made  a 
pretext  of  inquiring  the  result  of  the  doctor's  visit 
to-day." 

"A  pretext?  And  your  real  reason?"  TrefFenbach 
asked,  surprised. 

"  Well,  in  compliance  with  your  persistent  advice,  I 
have  instantly  fallen  in  love  with  Fräulein  von  Plat- 
tow." 

Magnus  bit  his  lip.  "  I  cannot  remember  giving  you 
any  such  advice." 

"  But  you  always  held  her  up  to  me  as  an  ideal 
woman  when  I  was  so  desperately  in  love  with  the 
fair  Mascha.  Man  is  but  a  broken  reed;  but  I  at  least 
always  try  to  profit  by  your  sage  utterances.  I  im- 
pressed it  upon  myself  that  a  Marie  Louise  von  Plat- 
tow  was  alone  worthy  to  be  loved.  And  now  I  have 
seen  her,  and  I  confess  her  to  be  an  ideal, — an  ideal  of 
truthfulness.  There  is  something  in  that  nature  which 
compels  my  veneration.  If  the  world  were  so  ordered 
that  we  were  all  forced  to  utter  our  thoughts  aloud, 
what  would  become  of  you  and  me,  for  instance? 
With  Fräulein  von  Plattow,  on  the  contrary,  such  an 
arrangement  would  not  make  the  slightest  differ- 
ence." 

Magnus  frowned.  On  the  morrow  there  could  be  no 
talk  of  this  kind. 

"Have  I  your  joermission  to  woo  her,  Magnus  ?"  his 
friend  asked,  in  an  insinuating  tone,  with  a  sidelong 
glance  at  him. 

"  No,"  said  Treffenbach,  curtly :  "  for  I  intend  to  do 
80  myself." 

"  Just  what  I  expected  to  hear,"  the  other  said,  with 
exaggerated  melancholy. 

"  Come,  Armin,  no  nonsense.     Let  us  go,  and,  as  I 


STUDENT  AND   FRIEND  49 

promised  yesterday,  I  will  tell  you  of  my  plans  for  tlio 
future." 

They  left  the  room,  and  Iless  ran  down  the  stair- 
case two  steps  at  a  time,  rattling  his  whip  against  the 
balustrade  like  any  school-boy. 

A  gay  throng  of  vehicles,  horsemen,  and  pedestrians 
enlivened  all  the  avenues  in  the  Thiergarten.  The 
bright  winter  sunshine  had  tempted  every  one  out  of 
doors.  The  frost  glittered  on  the  trees,  and  the  snow 
crunched  beneath  the  horses'  hoofs. 

"  Ah !  there  is  TrefFcnbach,"  exclaimed  an  officer  on  a 
prancing  steed  to  Schlacken,  riding  beside  him.  "  Hess 
has  succeeded  in  getting  him  out.   I  must  speak  to  him." 

Ti-efFenbach,  who  had  just  fulfilled  his  promise, 
looked  grave  and  absent.  His  Excellency's  son  was 
greeted  with  great  courtesy,  Count  Hess  with  warm 
cordiality.  Little  Schlacken  asked  a  hundred  ques- 
tions, while  his  eyes  glanced  rapidly  about  him  in 
Bearch  of  food  for  gossip. 

"  There  goes  old  Drachenstein  with  his  pretty 
daughters,  and  there  are  the  Hohnaus.  Mamma 
Hohnau  must  have  had  a  legacy,  for  the  Fräuleins 
have  brand-new  sets  of  furs.  Have  you  heard,  Hess, 
that  the  Mettows  have  lost  a  heap  of  money  ?  I  warrant 
me  Fräulein  Jetta  will  not  be  so  very  fastidious  now. 
That  blond,  pock-marked  Adonis  is  Prince  Savitzki, 
who  has  saved  himself  twice  by  marrying  the  daugh- 
ter of  his  principal  creditor." 

"  Schlacken  is  growing  malicious,"  said  Hess.  "  Tell 
me  whether  she  is  out  to-day." 

"  Oh,  certainly.  In  an  open  landau  with  a  pair  of 
grays.     Very  chic  /" 

"  Hess,  you  have  fallen  in  love  again,"  said  Schlack- 
en's  comrade. 

cd  6 


50  VIOLETTA 

"  I  know  what  good  breeding  requires,"  was  the 
reply,  given  with  dignity. 

"  Yes,"  Schlacken  assented,  "  it  is  incumbent  upon 
one,  on  my  honour,  if  one  would  not  be  a  thorough 
savage.  The  whole  city  is  at  her  feet.  I  should  be 
too  if  I  were  not  under  bonds  elsewhere.  But  Hess 
is  taking  holiday." 

"  Thank  your  stars,  Edmund,  that  I  have  a  gentle 
spirit,"  Hess  remarked  with  great  solemnity. 

"  Of  whom  are  you  all  talking?"  Treffenbach  asked, 
with  a  suspicious  glance  at  his  friend.  The  talk  re- 
minded him  unpleasantly  of  the  Count's  confessions 
before  they  came  out. 

"  They  are  talking  of  the  Beatrice,"  Schlacken's 
comrade  explained. 

"Who  is  the  Beatrice?" 

•'  Ah  9a,  Treffenbach.  I  don't  blame  you,"  murmured 
Hess.  "  Excuse  his  ignorance,  gentlemen ;  he  stayed 
too  long  among  the  Esquimaux." 

"  There  she  comes !"  said  Schlacken,  turning  his 
horse  aside. 

A  carriage  rolled  swiftly  past,  from  which  two  ladies 
acknowledged  the  officers'  bows.  Nothing  could  be 
seen  but  fluttering  veils  and  nodding  ostrich  plumes, 
but  there  was  a  sound  of  silvery  laughter,  clear  and 
musical  as  if  from  the  lips  of  a  child. 

"  The  beauty  of  a  goddess,"  said  Hess. 

"A  superb  creature,"  Schlacken  declared,  with  an 
oath.  "  Sjianish  or  Algerian  descent.  So  much 
race." 

"  I  think  you  are  mistaken,"  Treffenbach  said,  pat- 
ting his  mare's  neck.  "  We  bought  her  for  full-blooded 
British." 

"  You  are  talking  of  the  mare,  and  we  of  the  lady," 


STUDENT  AND  FRIEND  51 

Hess  said,  "but  your  remark  is  accidentally  correct. 
The  Beatrice  comes,  they  say,  from  Ireland." 

So  great  was  the  respect  that  Treffenbach  had  con- 
trived to  inspire,  that  neither  Schlacken  nor  Captain 
Schwertau  dared  to  give  vent  to  the  laughter  with 
which  they  were  choking. 

Treffenbach  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  It  is,  after 
all,  much  the  same  thing,  I  should  think,"  he  said, 
coldly.     "  Let  us  ride  on." 

"  Unfortunately,  we  must  turn  back,"  said  Herr  von 
Schwertau,  seizing  upon  the  02:)portunity  to  indulge 
his  merriment  unrestrained. 

Treffenbach  gave  his  horse  the  spur  and  rode  on. 
He  was  glad  to  be  rid  of  the  company  of  these  '  idle 
coxcombs.'     Count  Hess  accompanied  him. 

Once  more  the  landau  with  the  grays  passed  them, 
and  once  again  that  birdlike  laugh  resounded  on  the 
air. 

At  the  moment,  Treffenbach  heeded  it  as  little  as  ho 
had  done  the  talk  of  his  companions.  His  thoughts 
lingered  where  he  was  happiest, — in  his  study.  But 
in  after-years,  every  thoughtless  word  just  sj^oken  arose 
sharp  and  distinct  in  his  memory,  and  again  he  seemed 
to  see  the  blue  winter  sky  arching  above  him  through 
the  delicate  tracery  of  leafless  boughs,  and  again  that 
low,  careless  laugh  rang  in  his  ear. 


52  VIOLETTA 


CHAPTEE  Y 

A   BETROTHAL 

The  Plattows'  rooms  at  their  hotel  were  very  com- 
fortable, and  consisted  of  two  drawing-rooms  and  the 
necessary  number  of  sleeping-apartments.  The  draw- 
ing-room which  belonged  specially  to  Fräulein  von 
Plattow  was  arranged  by  her  own  careful  hand  just 
as  she  liked  it.  Upon  a  writing-table  near  the  window 
were  ranged  rows  of  books.  A  large  work-basket 
stood  on  the  table  in  front  of  the  sofa.  When  all  was 
finished,  she  stood  still  and  looked  around  her  with  a 
scrutinizing  gaze. 

In  a  comfortable  low  arm-chair  sat  Ehona  Bellwitz, 
her  plump  little  figure  clad  in  dark  blue  velvet,  a  soft 
hat  resting  uf)on  her  curls.  From  this  post  of  obser- 
vation she  was  watching  her  cousin  curiously.  "  How 
many  books  you  have,  Marie  Louise  I  Are  you  a  blue- 
stocking ?" 

"  You  would  probably  call  me  one,"  the  other  replied, 
calmly,  brushing  the  dust  from  the  back  of  a  chair 
with  a  little  feather  duster. 

"  Are  many  of  them  novels  ?" 

"  Take  the  trouble  to  read  the  titles ;  your  eyes  aro 
good." 

"  I'm  afraid  of  learned  titles ;  they  might  give  me 
the  nightmare.  "What  is  your  opinion  of  love,  Marie 
Louise?" 

"  I  think  that  sacred  name  is  too  often  taken  in 
vain.     You  do  not  know  what  you  ask." 


A   BETROTHAL  53 

"How  do  you  like  Count  Hess?  Treraendouwly 
handsome,  isn't  he  ?  I'll  tell  you  a  secret :  little 
Schlacken  is  wild  about  me." 

"I  congratulate  you;  you  will  chatter  each  other 
to  death." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mean  to  have  him.  I've  no  idea  of 
that.  My  aims  are  higher.  In  fact,  I  must  begin  by 
telling  you,  cousin,  that  I  am  very  much  admired." 
And  Rhona  began  to  laugh.  "  Come  to  us  this  evening 
and  you  can  see  for  yourself  I  have  at  present  five 
adorers,  and  I  don't  care  in  the  least  for  any  one  of 
them.  Won't  you  come  ?  I  beg  you  to,  and  you  can- 
not refuse.  It  is  mamma's  birthday,  and  we  are  to 
have  our  most  intimate  friends ;  only  the  most  inti- 
mate, I  assure  you.  There  is  to  be  neither  dancing  nor 
cards ;  between  ourselves,  it  will  be  horribly  tedious, 
but  I  thought  you  would  like  that." 

"  "When  my  grandparents  come  back  from  the  doc- 
tor's I  will  give  you  my  answer,"  said  Marie,  looking 
around  the  room  once  more.  As  she  did  so  her  «-lance 
fell  upon  a  picture  hanging  on  the  wall  above  the  sofa, 
a  rococo  pastoral  scene ;  various  fantastically-dressed 
couples  were  wandering  about  a  brilliantly-coloured 
garden,  and  in  the  immediate  foreground  a  shepherd 
had  caught  his  coat  upon  a  thorn  while  in  the  act  of 
trying  to  kiss  a  roguish  shepherdess  in  hiding  behind  a 
rose-bush.  Marie  frowned  as  she  noticed  this  picture, 
and  she  rang  the  bell  twice.    A  waiting-maid  appeared. 

"  I  wish  that  picture  removed  from  my  room,"  the 
lady  said  in  a  quiet  tone  of  command.  The  girl  looked 
first  at  the  picture  and  then  at  the  speaker,  as  if  un- 
able to  comprehend. 

"  Do  you  not  understand  me  ?  Send  somebody  who 
can  take  the  picture  down  and  carry  it  away."  . 

6* 


54  VIOL  ETTA 

"  But  why,  my  lady  ?"  asked  the  maid. 

"  Because  I  desire  it." 

Before  any  further  question  could  be  asked,  a  voice 
was  heard  in  the  corridor,  at  the  sound  of  which 
Rhona  sprang  up  and  ran  to  the  door  to  listen. 

"  It  really  is  his  Excellency  von  Treflfenbach,  and 
he  is  asking  for  you, — only  for  you!  Marie  Louise, 
you  begin  to  inspire  me  with  awe !  I  am  going.  I 
would  not  for  the  world  call  down  his  Excellency's 
wrath  upon  me  by  interfering  with  this  tete-a-tete. 
You  know  I  have  two  brothers  in  his  command,  and 
the  poor  boys  long  for  promotion.  Between  ourselves, 
however,  his  Excellency  is  not  in  such  favour  with 
the  powers  that  be  as  he  was,  and  no  one  can  imagine 
why.     Adieu !" 

And  Ehona  slipped  into  the  anteroom,  followed  by 
the  maid,  who  had  been  meanwhile  staring  in  utter 
bewilderment  at  the  condemned  picture. 

The  general  entered  in  full  uniform,  festally,  sol- 
emnly, and  yet  with  a  paternally  benevolent  smile  that 
betrayed  his  errand.  He  kissed  Marie's  hand,  and  she 
calmly  requested  him  to  be  seated,  telling  him  that 
her  grandparents  were  at  the  physician's,  but  that  she 
expected  them  to  return  at  any  moment.  Then  she 
asked  after  Magnus. 

"  The  poor  fellow  is  at  home  in  a  terrible  state  of 
suspense,"  said  the  general.  (In  fact,  Treffenbach's 
perfect  composure  had  been  exceedingly  irritating  to 
his  father.)  "  For  he  is  awaiting  the  decision  that  I 
am  to  bring  him.     Do  you  guess  what  I  mean  ?" 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,  general,"  she  replied, 
"  and  I  am  grateful  to  Magnus  for  leaving  me  the  time 
that  I  asked  for  reflection.  Believe  me,  I  have  em- 
ployed it  conscientiously.     I  have  examined  myself 


A   BETROTHAL  55 

thoroughly,  and  have  found  that  he  possesses  my  en- 
tire confidence.  I  shall  always  look  up  to  him,  and 
I  am  proud  to  know  that  I  have  been  chosen  by 
him  for  his  companion  and  helpmeet.  Together  we 
will  strive  after  the  highest  good.  But  above  all 
else  do  I  rejoice  that  in  him  my  grandparents  will 
find  a  son  who  will  smooth  for  them  the  declining 
path  of  life." 

When  she  had  finished  she  held  out  her  hand  to  the 
general,  who  gazed  curiously  into  the  cold  refined  face, 
which  was  as  an  open  page,  wherein  was  to  be  read 
no  embarrassment,  none  of  the  maidenly  confusion,  sup- 
posed to  be  natural  under  the  circumstances.  There 
were  no  changing  lights  in  the  blue  eyes,  which  yet 
seemed  created  to  mirror  the  changeful  skies,  no  quiver 
of  the  rosy  lips,  but  the  face  expressed  a  calm,  self- 
conscious  regard  for  duty,  and  the  measurable  degree 
of  happiness  that  comes  from  the  conviction  of  a  lofty 
calling. 

As  the  general  rose  to  go,  voices  were  heard  in  the 
antechamber,  and  Frau  von  Plattow  entered,  followed 
by  her  husband.  A  half-solemn,  half-pathetic  scene 
ensued,  at  the  end  of  which  his  Excellency  kissed  his 
future  daughter-in-law  on  the  forehead,  and  then 
hurried  away  to  carry  to  his  son  the  tidings  of  his 
good  fortune. 

It  was  not  long  before  Magnus  made  his  appearance, 
not  exactly  jubilant,  but  with  a  very  happy  face.  The 
old  people  received  him  with  tears,  which  could  not 
be  good  for  Herr  von  Plattow's  eyes.  They  called 
him  son,  and  declared  that  they  never  could  have  so 
welcomed  any  other.  Now  Velzin  and  Eavenhorst 
could  be  united  under  the  name  of  Treffenbach- Vel- 


56  VIOLETTA 

Marie  Louise  stood  by,  sinilinü^,  waitin;:^,  as  one  does 
in  receiving  a  friend,  until  it  sliould  be  licr  turn.  At 
last,  after  having  repeatedly  patted  his  cheel<,  Frau 
von  Plattow  released  the  young  lover,  and  he  turned 
to  his  love.  What  now?  Should  he  kiss  her?  The 
indescribable  chill  that  seemed  to  breathe  fiom  her 
whole  personality  was  as  far  from  inviting  him  to  do 
so  as  was  his  own  heart  from  any  impulse  to  such 
demonstrative  tenderness.  He  contented  himself, 
therefore,  with  pressing  her  hands  to  his  lips.  Mario 
Louise  seemed  created  for  homage  of  this  sort.  Every 
man  kissed  her  hand,  and  she  saw  in  the  act  only  a 
tribute  of  respectful  courtesy  which  was  her  due.  The 
lovers  then  took  their  place  side  b}^  side  on  the  sofa, 
and  the  shepherd  and  his  roguish  shepherdess  above 
their  heads  might  have  learned  from  them  how  to 
behave  themselves. 

They  talked  together  long  and  earnestly  of  their 
future  life.  They  made  plans  for  filling  this  life  with 
work,  convinced  that  together  they  could  achieve  im- 
portant results.  The  period  of  betrothal,  that  poetic 
Elysium  of  usual  lovers,  appeared  to  them  only  a 
time  of  enforced  idleness.  Still,  the  marriage  could 
not  take  place  before  the  end  of  the  3'ear  of  mourning. 
"  Although  I  know,"  said  Trelfenbach,  "  how  gladly 
my  mother  would  have  seen  her  dearest  wish  thus 
fulfilled  before  her  death." 

"But  it  would  not  be  fitting,"  Marie  Louise  said, 
calmly. 

"  You  are  right.  I  agree  with  you  entirely,  but  I 
experience  a  kind  of  self-reproach  when  I  say  to  my- 
self that  I  might  have  given  her  this  pleasure  while 
she  lived." 

"  How  could  you  foresee  that  she  was  to  be  taken 


A    BETROTHAL  57 

from  you  so  soon  and  so  suddenly  ?"  was  the  consola- 
tory rejoinder. 

As  the  general  had  declared  himself  in  fovour  of  a 
speedy  announcement  of  the  betrothal,  it  was  arranged 
before  Magnus  took  his  leave  that  they  should  go  to 
the  gathering  of  intimate  friends  at  President  Bell- 
witz's,  and  that  the  announcement  should  be  made 
there.  Mai'ie  Louise  had  already  made  up  her  inind 
to  join  in  some  social  entertainments.  She  was  re- 
solved to  occupy  the  position  that  was  hers  of  right, 
and  to  study  to  increase  its  influence,  to  battle  for 
her  convictions,  to  let  her  light  shine,  to  do  the  duties 
that  lay  before  hei-, — duties  of  charity,  of  warning, 
of  resistance,  if  need  bo,  and  of  a  brilliant  example. 
She  was  prepared  to  find  life  here  hard,  to  be  repaid 
by  scorn  and  ingratitude  for  well-meant  effort,  and  she 
saw  in  what  was  called  society  her  natural  enemy. 
But  she  felt  that  such  a  period  of  conflict  was  neces- 
sary to  purify  and  strengthen  her  powers  of  mind. 
In  the  cloistral  solitude  of  Eavenhorst  it  was  easy  to 
be  true  to  her  motto,  but  to  be  loyal  to  her  strict 
principles  in  the  great  world,  and,  if  necessary,  to 
suffer  martyrdom  for  her  convictions,  must  be  far 
more  difficult ! 

And  so  they  drove  to  the  Bellwitz's.  Herr  von 
Plattow  declined  accompanying  them  in  view  of  his 
state  of  health,  and  found  entertainment  at  home  in 
the  visit  of  an  early  friend  ;  but  Grandmamma  Plattow 
donned  her  richest  violet  silk,  and  crowned  her  calm, 
pale  face  and  snowy  hair  with  a  wonderful  cap,  all 
ribbons  and  blond  lace,  and  went  with  her  grand- 
daughter. 

The  President's  rooms  were  brilliant  with  lights  and 
flowers,  and  the  stout,  good-humoured  hostess  received 


58  VIOLETTA 

her  birthday  guests  with  genial  smiles  of  welcome. 
Her  husband,  his  chin  freshly  shaven,  and  a  huge 
golden  brcloque  dangling  from  the  buttonhole  of  his 
snow-white  waistcoat,  looked  as  if  he  were  cognizant 
of  a  piece  of  important  political  news, — the  downfall 
of  the  French  ministry  at  least, — but  judged  it  pru- 
dent not  to  mention  it.  Fräulein  Ehona,  in  dark 
crimson  and  camellias,  flitted  fi'om  group  to  group, 
laughing  and  exchanging  small  confidences  with  her 
intimate  friends,  whispering  as  if  it  were  something 
astounding,  "  Marie  Louise  is  coming." 

The  intimate  circle  of  the  friends  of  the  family,  not 
reckoning  the  Bellwitzes  and  Plattows,  assembled  in 
honour  of  the  birthday,  consisted  of  about  sixty  per- 
sons, among  whom  Marie  Louise  presented  herself 
upon  the  arm  of  General  von  Treffenbaeh,  looking 
somewhat  perplexed  perhaps,  but  nowise  daunted. 
Thus  with  head  erect  and  deliberate  step  does  a  young 
stag  first  invade  a  tract  of  country  new  to  him. 

She  was  dressed  entirely  in  white,  which  became 
her  well.  The  intentional  simplicity  of  her  toilet 
was  evident.  She  had  followed  her  own  taste,  in  no 
ignorance  of  what  was  usually  worn.  There  is  no  dis- 
puting tastes.  Flowers  in  the  hair  she  despised.  Her 
hair,  in  its  glossy  abundance,  was  indeed  adornment 
sufiicient.  Whether  this  particular  winter  it  ought  to 
have  been  worn  in  braids  wound  about  the  head  like 
a  diadem  was  a  question  which  might  occupy  others, 
but  did  not  occur  to  her.  She  wore  it  so,  and  there 
were  none  who  in  their  hearts  thought  it  unbecom- 
ing, whatever  they  might  find  it  their  duty  to  say 
with  regard  to  such  a  downright  transgression  of  the 
prevailing  fashion. 

A  large  diamond  cross  hanging  from  a  chain  around 


A   BETROTHAL  59 

her  neck  was  her  only  ornament,  and  this  she  woro  at 
the  request  of  Treffenbach,  who  had  sent  it  to  her  an 
hour  before. 

Thus,  *  a  daughter  of  the  gods,  divinely  tall,  and 
most  divinely  fair,'  she  appeared  among  the  guests, 
and  wherever  she  turned  they  involuntarily  made 
way  for  her.  There  were  many  young  girls  this  even- 
ing who  fell  head  over  ears  in  love  with  Marie  Louise 
von  Plattow,  as  enthusiastic  artists  become  enamoured 
of  a  marble  statue. 

His  Excellency  discharged  with  much  majesty  his 
duty  of  announcing  the  betrothal,  and  the  President's 
satisfaction  was  unbounded  in  this  revelation  to  all  of 
the  reason  for  his  important  air,  and  in  being  able  to 
whisper  in  every  one's  ear,  '  I  knew  it.' 

The  young  couple  received  with  great  composure 
the  good  wishes  and  congi-atulatious  showered  upon 
them.  Fräulein  Ehona  counted  up  the  various  enter- 
tainments that  would  be  given  by  intimate  friends  in 
honour  of  this  betrothal,  and  promised  Schlacken  sev- 
eral fresh  dances. 

Count  Hess  was  among  the  first  to  offer  his  con- 
gratulations, and  was  thanked  by  Marie  with  rather 
more  condescension  than  she  displayed  to  others.  She 
naturally  considered  him  as  '  one  of  ourselves,'  and 
that  disposed  her  favourably  towards  him,  while  she 
scarcely  vouchsafed  a  word  in  answer  to  Schlaoken's 
fluent  speech. 

"  Infernally  haughty,"  Schlacken  whispered  to  a 
comrade.  "  I  thought  Treffenbach  great  in  that  line, 
but  she  exceeds  him.  Just  see  them  now!  They 
look  like  a  young  prince  and  his  spouse  giving  audi- 
ence !  She  never  even  looked  at  me, — never  looked  at 
me!" 


60  VIOLETTA 

"Poor  Marie;  slic  is  tbo  only  one  to  be  pitied," 
Fräulein  Rhona  murmured,  as  she  flitted  past  him. 
"  How  could  she  be  so  self-denying  as  not  to  look  at 
Lieutenant  Sehlacken  ?" 

"  What  was  that  ?"  the  indignant  lieutenant  asked, 
turning  hastily,  but  she  was  gone. 

Meanwhile,  General  Treftenbach  approached  the  pair. 
"  My  dear  Marie,"  he  said,  "  I  want  to  present  you  to 
the  Princess  Menardi."  And  giving  her  his  arm  ho 
led  her  to  a  divan,  where  sat  a  veiy  diminutive  lady 
with  a  sharp,  orange-coloured  face  and  very  bright 
black  eyes.  Her  person  was  bird-like  in  its  tiny  pro- 
portions ;  in  her  dress  everything  was  large,  and 
puffed  in  all  directions.  She  wore  a  gorgeous  gown 
of  yellow  silk,  and  on  her  head,  surmounting  all  sorts 
of  curls  and  puffs,  two  humming-birds  vibrated  upon 
slender  wires.  This  merry  little  lady  fidgeted  and 
laughed  shrilly  as  she  persistently  fanned  herself. 
*'  Oh,  my  lovely  young  friend,  I  wish  you  every  hap- 
piness. See  how  proud  your  father-in-law  looks, — eh, 
your  Excellency  ?  And  do  you  know  that  he  has 
promised  me  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  at  my  house 
to-morrow?  unetoute petite  soiree?  You  shall  be  enter- 
tained, that  I  promise  you.  Hey,  Count  Hess, — Conte 
Arminio !  tell  this  young  lady  if  it  is  ever  dull  at  the 
old  Princess's."  And  she  tapped  the  Count  on  the  arm 
with  her  fan. 

He  turned  instantly :  "What  a  question  !"  bowing, 
with  his  hand  on  his  heart.  "  One  always  meets  celeb- 
rities at  the  Princess  Menardi's.  The  loftiest  and 
most  distinguished  of  mankind  may  there  be  seen 
eating  oysters  and  salad  like  other  mortals.  Whom 
did  we  have  last?  A  missionary" — here  he  glanced 
towards  Marie  Louise — "  who  had  been  snapped  up 


A   BETROTHAL  61 

by  the  savages  ;  his  report  was  intensely  interesting. 
I  should  not  bo  surj^rised  to  hear  that  the  incompara- 
ble Beatrice  is  to  be  there  to-morrow  evening,  and 
bring  her  notes  with  her." 

"  You've  guessed  it !"  the  little  lady  exclaimed,  in 
high  glee.  "  I  knew  this  charming  person  in  Venice, 
and  I  said  to  myself,  '  I'll  try  a  little  note.  The  Bea- 
trice is  the  most  good-natured  creature  in  the  world.' 
And  I  was  right, — she  accepted." 

"  We  shall  all  owe  the  Princess  many  thanks  for  so 
charming  an  entertainment,"  Count  Hess  said,  bowing. 
But  General  Treffenbach  led  his  comj^anion  away. 

"  Is  it  incumbent  upon  us  to  go  to  that  lady's 
soiree  ?"  she  asked, 

"  I  do  not  see  how  it  can  he  avoided,"  he  replied, 
quietly ;  adding,  somewhat  didactically,  "  Society  is 
like  a  hydra.  The  more  heads  we  cut  off, — that  is, 
the  more  social  duties  we  discharge, — the  more  grow 
afresh.  If  it  were  your  intention  to  have  nothing  to 
do  with  it,  3'ou  should  have  told  us,  and  your  wish 
would  have  been  our  law.  Now  it  is  too  late,  and 
without  incurring  the  reproach  of  discourtesy  you  can- 
not withdraw  from  a  certain  round  of  visits  and  enter- 
tainments, still  less  can  you  select  from  among  them 
those  congenial  to  j'ou  and  ignore  the  rest.  The 
Princess  Menardi  is,  I  admit,  a  very  odd  person  in 
German  eyes ;  hut  what  of  that  ?  She  is  of  distin- 
guished rank;  her  husband  was  ambassador  at  sev- 
eral European  courts ;  she  is  a  woman  of  mind  and  of 
influence ;  she  is,  in  short,  one  of  us.  Upon  a  nearer 
acquaintance  you  will  find  her  extremely  good-natured, 
universally  benevolent,  and  quick  to  aid,  where  aid  is 
needed." 

"I  admit  the  justice  of  what  you  say,"  she  replied. 
6 


62  VIOLETTA 

"  No  one  shall  reproach  me  with  discourtesy.  I  will 
do  whatever  you  think  necessary ;  only  you  must  per- 
mit me  to  regard  time  thus  s^ient  as  affording  not 
pleasure,  but  discipline." 


CHAPTEE  yi 

AN   ACTRESS   IN   SOCIETY 

Count  Hess  was  quite  sure  that  it  would  be  useless 
to  try  to  find  his  friend  at  home  the  next  day ;  never- 
theless he  called  upon  the  chance  of  seeing  him,  expect- 
ing to  hear  from  Fräulein  Emma  that  the  happy  lover 
had  gone  to  carry  his  love  the  usual  bouquet  of  violets. 
Instead  of  this,  however,  the  Fräulein  rej)orted  that 
the  Herr  Attache  had  been  studying  since  six  in  the 
morning ;  it  I'eally  was  not  healthy. 

In  fact,  Treffenbach  had  almost  forgotten  his  be- 
trothal, so  absorbed  was  he  in  his  work.  "When  he 
looked  up  from  it  and  was  recalled  for  a  moment  to 
the  present,  the  knowledge  of  his  new  relations  was 
to  him  merely  a  happy  consciousness,  a  calm  delight, 
awakening  neither  impatience  nor  desire;  nor  was 
there  any  sense  of  neglect  of  chivalric  duty,  for  Marie 
Louise  knew  where  he  was  and  what  he  was  doing, 
and  would  have  esteemed  him  less  had  he  passed  these 
precious  morning  hours  in  idle  talk  instead  of  in  honest 
work. 

So  he  went  on  thinking  and  writing,  striving  to 
elucidate  the  profoundest  mysteries  as  if  they  were 
mathematical  problems,  until 

"  Good  heavens,  Treffenbach !     I  could  not  believe 


AN  ACTRESS  IN  SOCIETY  63 

the  gentle  Emma,  but  here  you  actuallj^  are.  Is  it 
true,  as  slanderous  tongues  will  have  it,  that  Barou 
Magnus  Treffenbach  is  at  work  upon  a  new  translation 
of  the  Bible  into  German  which  shall  prove  our  worthy 
Father  Luther  a  mere  bungler?  The  report  seemed  to 
me  malicious,  and  I  came  here  to  be  able  to  tell  every- 
body that  I  had  found  nothing  upon  your  neglected 
writing-table  save  a  sonnet  '  to  Phyllis.'  I  pray  you 
come  with  me." 

"  My  dear  friend,  I  have  no  time,"  Treffenbach  said, 
impatiently. 

Count  Hess,  a  rose-bud  in  his  buttonhole,  his  riding- 
whip  under  his  arm,  the  personification  of  elegant 
ease,  stood  leaning  against  the  writing-table,  and  now 
picked  up  the  first  book  upon  it  that  came  to  hand. 
"  Well,  let  us  see  at  least  what  makes  such  demands 
upon  your  precious  time."  And  he  began  to  read 
aloud :  "  Speculative  Christian  theology  can  derive  as 
little  advantage  from  this  negativity  as  from  the  im- 
mediate relation  of  categories,  according  to  the  Pla- 
tonic method,  since  the  former  cannot  be  separated 
from  an  hypothesis  prevailing  for  centuries  concern- 
ing dualism  in  the  absolute  (as  primeval  mind  and 
primeval  matter,  which  last  Aristotle  declared  to  be 
an  immovable  motor,  but  which  Plato  understood  as 

a  motor  by  its   own   force),  and "      Count   Hess 

paused,  and  cast  a  melancholy  glance  across  the  book 
at  his  friend. 

"  Go  on,"  Treffenbach  said,  eagerly ;  "  it  soon  grows 
very  interesting." 

"  Take  pity  upon  him,  ye  gods !"  said  the  Count,  let- 
ting the  book  drop :  "  he  is  losing  his  wits." 

Treffenbach  smiled.  "  I  did  not  think  that  a  few 
involved  sentences  could  so  puzzle  you,  Armin.     Why 


64  VIOLETTA 

do  you  not  study  more  ?     How  are  you  spending  your 
time  here  ?" 

"  In  lounging,"  Hess  replied,  with  solemnity.  "  I 
am  very  sorry  that  my  ignorance  does  not  allow  of  my 
clothing  this  disgracefully  naked  fact  in  yards  of  inex- 
tricable tissue." 

Magnus  looked  at  him  with  grave  anxietj^.  "  In- 
deed, this  is  not  well,  Armin,  especially  for  so  ener- 
getic a  temperament  as  yours.  Take  my  advice. 
Adopt  some  occupation,  some  study " 

"  Alone  ?  Without  you  ?  It  would  have  been  easy 
in  St.  Petersburg,  where  we  lodged  together.  But  I 
have  my  worries,  about  which  you  seem  to  care  little." 

*'  Pray  do  not  think  me  unsympathetic." 

"  My  father  has  just  written  to  me  that  my  mother 
has  devised  a  brilliant  match  for  me.  I  am  to  go  home 
to  make  the  acquaintance  of  an  heiress, — an  amiable 
little  chit  of  sixteen,  who  has  not  yet  been  out  in  so- 
ciety." 

"  AVhy  an  heiress  ?"  Treffenbach  asked,  gravely. 

"  Can  you  not  see  why  for  j^ourself  ?  Because  I  am 
no  heir." 

"  Armin,  do  not  sell  your  life,  your  pride,  for  money. 
If  you  are  not  in  a  condition  to  maintain  a  wife  suit- 
ably, go  to  work  to  improve  your  affairs  before  you 
marry." 

"  Quite  right.  I  will  write  to  my  father  that  I  am 
not  going  home,  but  that  I  mean  to  stay  here  until  I 
go  to  Brussels.    And  now  may  I  say  a  word  to  you  ?" 

"  Certainly." 

"  You  are  very  little  with  your  father.  Why  do  you 
not  devote  more  time  to  him?  He  might  at  times 
almost  forget  the  existence  of  a  son,  and  that  would 
not  be  well." 


AN  ACTRESS  IN  SOCIETY  65 

"At  least  not  very  flattering  to  me.  But  indeed 
your  admonition  is  superfluous.  You  know  how  I  re- 
spect and  admire  my  fatlier  and  enjoy  intercourse 
with  him.  But  at  present  that  pleasure  must  be  de- 
nied me.  This  work  claims  me.  As  soon,  however, 
as  the  first  part  is  ready  for  the  press  I  will  atone  for 
my  shortcomings." 

Count  Hess  looked  as  if  he  would  fain  have  indulged 
in  further  remonstrances,  but  he  suppressed  them  and 
tui-ned  to  go.  "  Well,  I  give  up  trying  to  lure  you 
forth  to-day.  Do  not  forget  the  old  Princess's  soiree 
this  evening.  You  ought  in  courtesy  to  call  there  be- 
fore it,  but  she  is  very  forgiving  in  such  matters." 

lie  left  the  room,  and  Magnus  picked  up  the  pon- 
derous tome  that  had  fallen  under  the  table,  sighed, 
and  applied  himself  afresh  to  his  work. 

At  the  appointed  hour  he  drove  with  his  father  to 
the  Princess  Menardi's.  His  Excellency  was  in  the 
best  of  spirits,  and  twitted  his  son  with  being  con- 
verted to  frivolity  by  Marie  Louise. 

The  rooms  of  the  popular  old  Princess  were  sure  to 
be  crowded,  for  she  scattered  her  cards  of  invitation 
with  lavish  hospitality,  and  at  the  last  moment  invited 
every  one  whom  she  chanced  to  meet.  She  was  fond 
of  patronizing  unappreciated  genius,  or  people  who 
had  suff'ered  for  their  convictions, — what  those  con- 
victions might  be  she  never  troubled  herself  to  inquire. 

Treff'enbach  made  his  way  through  the  throng  until 
he  encountered  Ehona  Bellwitz,  and  could  ask  where 
Marie  Louise  was,  or  whether  she  had  decided  not  to 
come  at  all. 

"  Oh,  she  came  with  us,  of  course ;  but  where  can 
she  be  ?     She  was  talking  with  old  Frau  von  Schweid- 
nitz,  and  went  with  her  into  that   room.     I  am  now 
e  G* 


66  VIOLETTA 

looking  about  for  Moors  or  Tartars,  but  I  bave  seen 
notbing  extraordinary." 

"  Wby,  tbe  Beatrice  is  in  tbere ;  surely  tbat  is 
enougb,"  a  pretty  young  married  woman  observed, 
gayly.  "  Ab,  good-evening.  Baron  Trcffcnbacb ;  bow 
noble  of  you  to  come  bere  to  us,  wbcn  all  tbe  otber 
men  are  crowding  into  tbe  room  wbere  tbe  beautiful 
Beatrice  is." 

"  An  actress  bere  ?"  Treffenbacb  asked,  in  a  tone  in 
wbicb  tbere  was  a  fine  admixture  of  surprise,  disap- 
proval, and  annoyance. 

"  As  you  see, — tbe  Princess  is  introducing  ber  into 
society."  Sbe  gazed  curiously  into  bis  face,  tben 
laugbed  and  turned  away. 

He  too  walked  on.  It  was  annoying  tbat  Ebona 
sbould  bave  told  bim  tbat  bis  betrotbed  bad  gone  into 
tbat  room.  He  felt  a  strong  desire  to  take  ber  out  of 
it  as  soon  as  possible,  and  be  tried  to  get  to  ber.  But 
tbis  was  no  easy  task,  for  tbe  entire  assemblage  seemed 
tbronging  in  tbe  same  direction.  At  last  be  found 
bimself  in  a  small  room  bung  witb  yellow  damask,  glit- 
tering like  a  topaz  in  tbe  ligbt  of  a  large  cbandelier.  It 
was  filled  witb  ladies  and  gentlemen,  all  pressing  about 
a  centre  of  interest,  and  all  apparently  bent  upon  being 
especially  amiable. 

In  tbe  middle  of  tbe  room  was  a  round  divan  witb 
a  yellow  silken  obelisk  in  its  centre.  Seated  on  tbe 
down  cusbion,  ber  bead  leaning  against  tbis  svip- 
port,  was  an  exquisitely  beautiful  woman,  wbose  large 
dark  eyes  were  like  stars  of  fire.  Her  perfectly  mod- 
elled neck  and  sboulders  gleamed  snowy  wbito  above 
tbe  dark  crimson  of  ber  satin  bodice.  Sbe  wore  a 
necklace  of  pearls,  and  single  pearls  were  scattered 
like  beavy  drops  of  silver  bere  and  tbere  in  ber  braided 


AN  ACTRESS  IN  SOCIETY  67 

hair,  the  arrangement  of  which  gave  a  striking  air  of 
distinction  to  the  finely-shaped  head. 

At  the  moment  when  Treffenbach  perceived  her  she 
was  saying  in  a  gentle  voice  to  the  Princess  Menardi, 
sitting  beside  her,  "  Caprices  ?  Ah  ga  I  I  never  have 
caprices.  Ask  any  impresario  in  Europe.  I  am  ready 
to  keep  my  promise  at  any  moment!" 

"  Peppino  I"  the  old  Princess  called  in  her  gay  shrill 
tones,  "  La  Beatrice  is  going  to  be  so  kind  as  to  sing 
to  us.     Peppino  I" 

At  the  call  there  appeared,  not  a  lap-dog,  but  a  tall, 
stout  young  fellow,  with  an  olive  complexion,  a  rather 
fat  face,  and  a  close-cut  black  beard.  This  was  Prince 
Joseph  Menardi,  the  son  of  the  old  Princess,  and  a 
very  good  fellow;  but  Treffenbaeh  could  not  know  this, 
for  he  did  not  remember  ever  seeing  him  before.  He 
was  inclined  to  believe  him  the  buffo  of  some  Italian 
opera  company,  and  his  indignation  was  great. 

After  the  son  of  the  house  had  led  the  singer 
to  the  piano,  Treffenbaeh  had  the  satisfaction  of  dis- 
covering that  Marie  Louise  was  not  in  this  room.  As 
he  turned  towards  the  door  he  started.  Amid  the 
hubbub  of  voices  he  heard  again  that  silvery  laugh 
which  had  so  unaccountably  rung  in  his  ears  since 
yesterday.  He  paused  to  listen,  and  then  and  there 
sank  into  a  strange  dreamy  revery,  in  which  he  was 
a  small  boy  once  more,  and  was  chasing  a  little  blue 
butterfly  over  the  Velzin  moor,  tumbling  through  the 
sand  and  over  the  roots  of  the  fir-trees,  now  shouting 
for  joy,  now  swallowing  salt,  impatient  tears,  and  still 
the  little  blue  butterfly  eluded  him  and  fluttered  on 
and  on  into  the  dim  distance  I  * 

The  voice  of  his  friend  Hess  close  beside  him  aroused 
him  from  his  dream.     "  The  child  is  bowitchinc;.     I 


Ö8  VIOLETTA 

only  fear  that  the  public  will  soon  turn  her  head. 
Without  seeing  her,  only  to  hear  her  laugh  is  a  greater 
musical  delight  to  my  ear  than  any  I  gain  from  a 
finely-sung  aria." 

"  Yes,"  Treffenbach  replied  mechanically,  without 
the  slightest  idea  of  whom  his  friend  was  speaking. 

"  I  am  tremendously  curious  to  see  her,"  said  the 
voice  of  Ehona  Bellwitz.  "  Is  she  really  here  ?  A 
perfect  fairy,  they  say.     Is  it  true  ?" 

"  A  very  fairy, — she  is  but  fifteen." 

"  Oh,  a  mere  child  1"  And  Rhona  turned  away  dis- 
appointed. 

Meanwhile,  Treffenbach  had  collected  himself  suffi- 
ciently to  ask,  "  Of  whom  are  you  talking  ?" 

"  Of  Violetta  Fouquet." 

Meanwhile,  in  the  quietest  corner,  Marie  Louise  was 
eating  an  ice  and  discussing  '  the  evils  of  the  age ' 
with  an  old  Consistorial-rath. 


CHAPTEE    YII 

VIOLETTA    FOUQUET 

"  Opera  or  ballet  ?" 

Madame  Beatrice  Fouquet  spoke  these  words  with 
a  thoughtful  nod  of  her  beautiful  head,  unfolding  as 
she  did  so  a  fan  of  peacock's  feathers,  with  which  she 
wafted  towards  her  the  fragrance  of  a  huge  bouquet 
of  violets  in  an  Indian  bowi  that  stood  on  a  table  be- 
side her  divan. 

8he  reclined  there  with  the  haughty  grace  of  a 


VIOLETTA   FOUqUET  69 

princess  in  an  Eastern  fairy-tale ;  her  head,  resting 
on  her  hand,  was  circled  by  the  classic  band  of  gold, 
the  long  dark  fringe  of  her  eyelashes  showed  against 
her  soft  cheek  as,  with  downcast  eyes,  she  seemed 
to  be  seeking  an  answer  to  her  question  in  the  in- 
tricate pattern  of  the  Turkey  carj)et.  "  Opera  or 
ballet  ?" 

At  the  window  of  the  richly-furnished  apartment 
sat  a  lady,  erect  and  stiff,  busied  with  some  crochet- 
work.  Beside  the  divan,  upon  a  piano-stool,  was 
seated  a  very  boyish,  unpretending,  fair-comjilexioned 
man,  who,  out  of  respect  or  timidity,  occupied  only 
half  of  the  seat.  He  sighed  from  time  to  time,  but 
did  not  speak.  His  look  at  times  rested  upon  the 
countenance  of  the  lovely  lady  on  the  divan  with 
what  was  admiration  bordering  on  adoration.  Indeed 
she  was  beautiful,  and  radiant  with  life  and  gayety. 
No  wonder.  She  was  aware  that  at  this  moment  the 
imperial  capital  was  at  her  feet,  that  in  the  course 
of  the  past  week  she  had  reaped  more  laurels  than 
fall  to  the  lot  of  many  a  man  of  high  descent  during 
a  lifetime.  There  lay  her  last  trophy  in  proud  hu- 
mility upon  a  yellow  silk  cushion.  Tom,  the  gaudy 
parrot,  had  left  his  gilded  perch  to  pay  his  respects  to 
the  wreath,  and  was  pecking  at  the  firm  shining  leaves, 
while  Charlie,  Madamo's  pet  lap-dog,  was  tearing  at 
the  fluttering  ribbons  that  bound  it  as  they  hung 
down  upon  the  floor. 

"Pray  chase  those  creatures  away,  Contelli,"  the 
Fouquet  exclaimed,  irritably. 

The  little  man  hastened  to  do  her  behest.  Charlie 
crept  snarling  under  a  sofa,  Tom  fluttered  angrily 
back  to  his  perch,  where  ho  performed  several  gym- 
nastic feats,  and  shrieked  loudly,  '  Opera  or  ballet  ?' 


70  VIOLETT  A 

"Whereat  Madame  Fouquet,  like  an  April  day,  began 
to  laugh,  her  white  teeth  shining  between  her  rosy 
lips.  "  There's  some  sense  in  the  screaming  creature. 
Come,  Tonino,  tell  me  what  you  think." 

"  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  decide,"  he  murmured. 

"  It  is  well  that  it  is  not  for  you  to  decide  it,"  she 
said,  drawing  up  beneath  the  hem  of  her  morning- 
gown  her  little  feet  shod  with  gold-embroidered  slip- 
pers. "  All  I  ask  you  is.  What  do  you  think  of  her 
voice  ?  Does  she  improve  ?  In  a  word,  do  you  think 
she  can  take  first  rank  as  a  singer?" 

"Ah,  ah!  Che  dire?  The  Signorina  has  a  charm- 
ing voice " 

"  Enough,  my  friend.  A  charming  voice  is  a  toler- 
able voice,  and  a  tolerable  voice  is  worse  than  none 
at  all !  The  world  shall  never  say  that  Beatrice  Fou- 
quet's  daughter  is  a  tolerable  singer." 

"  Ah,  Signora,  I  fear " 

"  Indeed,  I  always  thought  so !"  Madame  said,  with 
an  air  of  satisfaction.  "  Violetta  begged  so  for  sing- 
ing-lessons that  I  let  her  take  them  of  you.  But  I 
have  never  heard  her  sing  so  as  to  impress  me  with 
the  idea  that  a  brilliant  future  lay  before  her.  Toler- 
able, I  always  said  to  myself,  pretty,  sweet,  but — in- 
significant. Charming  in  a  drawing-room,  nothing  on 
the  stage.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
see  her  cross  a  room  to  be  sure  of  what  is  her  true 
vocation.  There  is  no  doubt, — there  need  be  no  hesi- 
tation,— it  is  as  clear  as  daylight !  I  am  sorry  to  give 
up  the  singing-lessons,  for  you  have  taken  so  much 
pains,  my  good  Tonino  ;  but  Yioletta  must  henceforth 
pay  more  attention  to  her  dancing-lessons.  She  has 
the  capacity,  but  not  the  training ;  she  must  appear  in 
public  frequently,  to  conquer  her  timidity.     Au  revoir, 


VIOLETTA   FOUqUET  71 

my  dear  Contelli.  When  you  write  to  your  mother 
give  her  my  love," 

Contelli  arose  hastily,  howed,  and  left  the  room. 

Then  there  was  silence,  except  for  Tom,  who  rattled 
his  chain  and  now  and  then  uttered  a  short  shrill 
Bcream.  The  stiff  old  lady  at  the  window  went  on 
with  her  work  without  raising  her  head.  She  might 
have  been  an  automaton. 

Madame  leaned  her  head  upon  her  hand  and  yawned 
slightly.  Then  she  picked  up  a  hand-glass,  and  care- 
fully examined  her  face  in  it.  "When  she  was  alone 
and  not  speaking,  when  she  allowed  herself  to  be  en- 
tirely at  rest,  she  looked  older,  but  she  was  always 
beautiful.  Smoothing  aside  a  rebellious  curl,  she  shook 
her  head  thoughtfully.  "  I  am  growing  old,"  she  said ; 
*'  it  is  time  I  married." 

The  gray  lady  at  the  window  did  not  stir  at  the 
utterance  of  this  original  remark ;  she  did  not  even 
look  round. 

"  Madame  Morton,"  said  the  Fouquct. 

A  long  face  turned  towards  her.  "What  does 
Madame  wish  ?" 

"  Pray  be  so  kind  as  to  call  Yioletta." 

Madame  Morton  left  the  room.  Her  figure  was  tall 
and  bony ;  she  always  wore  rustling  gray  gowns,  with 
her  hair  in  large  gray  puffs  beneath  a  majestic  cap  of 
gray  and  white  tulle.  She  was,  as  her  employer  was 
wont  to  declare,  a  priceless  treasure, — one  who  wore 
virtue  and  respectability  stamped  upon  her  brow,  the 
very  model  of  a  '  companion.' 

Madame  Beatrice  had  never  succeeded  in  discover- 
ing whether  Madame  Morton  could  think  or  feel.  No 
one  had  ever  heard  her  exjjress  an  independent  opin- 
ion, or  had  seen  her  at  all  excited,  not  oven  Violctta, 


72  VIOLETTA 

who  was  daily  instructed  by  her  in  literature  and 
other  advanced  studies  and  was  held  to  be  a  favourite 
with  her. 

She  was  well  born,  and  might  indeed  have  wondered 
at  the  caprice  of  fate  that  had  raised  a  Beatrice  Fou- 
quet  to  the  crimson  divan,  and  that  had  made  herself, 
the  grand-daughter  of  a  minister  of  state,  the  servant 
of  this  creature  who  had  formerly,  as  every  one  knew, 
run  barefooted  along  the  roads  in  Ireland,  only  too 
glad  to  beg  a  sixpence  in  exchange  for  a  bunch  of  wild 
flowers  and  a  song. 

But  she  never  hinted  at  any  such  thoughts,  or  ex- 
pressed indignation  even  by  a  look. 

In  five  minutes  she  re-entered  the  room,  took  her 
seat  with  dignity,  and  began  to  crochet  again,  saying, 
"  Fräulein,  Yioletta  will  be  here  presently." 

"  Thanks,"  said  the  Fouquet,  without  looking  up 
from  the  book  she  was  reading. 

Soon  the  door  opened  gently,  and  a  creature  dressed 
in  white  came  flying  across  the  room  with  a  foot- 
fall so  light  as  to  be  inaudible.  As  she  flitted  j^ast 
the  bowl  of  violets  this  sylph  buried  her  face  for  an 
instant  among  the  fragrant  mass,  then  stooj)ed  over 
the  singer's  hand  and  took  her  seat  on  a  low  ottoman 
beside  the  divan.  "  Here  I  am,  mamma,"  she  said  in 
Italian. 

"  I  only  wanted  to  tell  you  that  I  have  stopped  your 
singing-lessons  with  Contelli ;  it  is  labour  in  vain.  You 
must  take  more  lessons  with  the  ballet-master." 

The  girl's  lovely  face  flushed  slightly.  "  I  like  to 
dance,"  she  said,  with  a  little  sigh,  "  but — but " 

"But  what?" 

"Ah,  you  know  what,  mammal" 

"  Nonsense,  Yioletta !     You  must  conquer  your  fool- 


VIOLETT  A   FOUqUET  »73 

ish  timidity.  The  public  will  think  it  affectation,  for 
you  ai'e  anything  but  timid  in  society." 

"Ah,  there  is  no  public  to  confront  there." 

"  Don't  be  so  childish.  There  are  the  very  same 
people  who  look  at  you  from  their  boxes  in  the  even- 
ing." 

"  But,  oh,  mamma,  it  is  not  at  all  the  same  thing. 
There  are  no  lights,  and  no  music,  and  no  opera-glasses, 
— I  hate  opera-glasses, — and  they  all  sit  there  so  still, 
so  still,  and  stare  at  you,  and  never  speak, — hundreds, 
thousands  of  heads,  and  all  kinds  of  colours,  and  with 
eyes,  and  glasses  in  their  hands,  and  you — you  must 
keep  quiet,  and,  whether  you  turn  red  or  pale,  you 
dare  not  turn  away,  you  must  bear  it  all, — distress 
and  terror, — and  you  must  swallow  down  your  tears  j 
and  although  you  long  to  sink  into  the  earth,  you 
must  dance  and  spring  about.     Ah  !" 

Madame  Fouquet  must  have  been  accustomed  to 
such  outbreaks,  for  she  only  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"Now,  in  a  drawing-room  or  riding  in  the  Thier- 
garten,"  Yioletta  went  on  eagerly,  "  what  is  there  to 
be  afraid  of?  No  one  looks  at  me  as  if  they  meant  to 
dev^our  me.  They  are  all  kind,  and  talk  and  laugh, 
and  I  can  say  what  I  choose,  and  laugh  as  much  as  I 
like,  and  can  go  or  stay  as  I  please.  Don't  you  see, 
mamma?" 

"  I  see  that  you  must  take  more  pains  to  overcome 
your  timidity,  for  it  must  bo  done.  True,  I  might 
say,  'Very  well!  my  circumstances  are  such  as  to 
allow  me  to  educate  my  daughter  as  I  please.  I  will 
train  her  up  for  private  life.  I  will  marry  her  to  a 
count,  and  she  shall  be  a  charming  countess.'  But  I 
am  not  so  egotistic,  so  short-sighted.  You  possess  a 
talent  which  will  exalt  you  above  your  fellows.  Learn 
D  7 


74  VIOLETT  A 

to  use  tbc  wings  tliat  Lave  been  given  you,  and  you 
can  make  yourself  an  immortal  name ;  you  can  see 
the  world  at  your  feet.  Would  it  not  be  a  pity — yes, 
a  sin — to  throw  away  these  laurels  ?  As  for  marrying 
a  count,  there  is  time  enough  for  that" — she  smiled — 
"  when  one  is  as  old — as  mamma." 

There  was  a  pause.  Yioletta  looked  as  if  she  were 
taking  it  all  into  consideration. 

"  At  all  events,"  her  mother  said  at  last,  "  you  will 
accept  the  kind  offer  of  the  manager  to  afford  you  an 
opportunity  shortly  of  appearing  in  a  fairy  pantomime 
as  an  elf  in  a  flower." 

"  I  can  play  a  sleeping  elf,  certainly." 

"You  will  be  good  and  do  whatever  is  required  of 
you.  And  now  go,  child,  and  ring  for  Carolina.  It  is 
time  to  dress." 

Yioletta  arose,  kissed  a  curl  of  her  mother's  raven 
hair  which  had  escaped  from  the  gold  band,  and  left 
the  room,  carelessly  humming  a  French  song. 

For  Yioletta  Fouquet  was  as  happy  and  gay  as  a 
bird  that  trills  its  song  without  thinking  why.  Living 
only  in  the  present,  shielded  by  her  mother  from  all 
annoyance,  she  knew  nothing  of  the  dark  side  of  the 
sphere  of  life  in  which  she  had  been  born, — she  saw 
only  the  brilliant  exterior  of  this  gay  existence.  She 
had  experienced  nothing  but  kindness  and  good  will 
ever  since  she  could  remember,  since  she  had  first 
opened  her  violet  eyes  upon  the  world  where  she  had 
been  greeted  with  the  clinking  of  champagne-glasses. 
For  Albert  Fouquet,  the  light-hearted  tenor  of  La 
Scala  at  Milan,  had  celebrated  his  daughter's  birth  by 
a  champagne-supper,  at  which  he  declared  that  the 
child's  name  was  written  in  her  ej'es,  and  that  she 
ßhould  be  called  Yioletta. 


VIOLKTTA    FOUqUET  75 

He  had  been  a  good,  kind,  innocent  fool, — Albert 
Fouquet !  It  was  thus  that  his  widow  still  character- 
ized him  in  her  memory.  Champagne  had  been  his 
elixir  of  life,  and  he  had  died  of  heart-disease  on  the 
etage,  a  champagne-glass  in  his  hand,  leaving  a  widow 
but  eighteen  years  old,  with  an  infant  of  but  a  few 
months. 

From  Yioletta's  point  of  view  this  was  a  world 
where  every  one  was  good  and  kind.  Why,  even  the 
cross  old  prompter  smiled  and  nodded  kindly  at  her 
whenever  she  appeared  upon  the  stage.  Why  was  he 
so  good  to  her  and  so  cross  to  every  one  else  ?  She 
did  not  know.  She  never  knew  the  power  that  lay  in 
her  sparkling  eyes,  in  her  look  of  innocent  trust  that 
disarmed  all  malice  and  shamed  all  violence.  In 
happy  unconsciousness  she  had  lived  hitherto  like  the 
flowers,  like  the  butterflies  in  the  sunshine.  She  had 
known  no  wish  unfulfilled,  her  loving  spirit  had  never 
Buff'ered  a  repulse,  her  gayety  had  never  been  misun- 
derstood. 

She  had  been  accustomed  from  infancy  to  the  pub- 
lic's adoration  of  her  mother.  From  her  earliest 
childhood  she  had  been  used  to  the  frank  speech 
and  manners  of  the  world  in  which  she  lived.  She 
had  been  taught  that  her  instinctive  aversion  to  the 
stage  was  a  fault  which  she  must  try  to  amend,  and 
ehe  sincerely  hoped  to  be  able  to  do  so.  Madame 
Fouquet  lodged  in  a  very  fine  suite  of  rooms  in  the 
game  hotel  in  which  the  Plattows  were  established. 
As  was  the  case  with  Marie  Louise,  Beatrice  Fouquet 
had  given  a  characteristic  colouring  to  her  room. 
She  had  not  placed  her  furniture  squarely  against  the 
wall,  but  chairs  and  tables  were  scattered  here  and 
there  in  artistic  confusion,  and  in  lieu  of  well-bound, 


76  VIOLETT  A 

useful  books  there  were  graceful  vases  and  bowls  filled 
with  flowers. 

Yioletta's  room  was  in  the  back  of  the  hotel,  oppo 
site  her  mother's  apartments,  and  looked  out  upon  a 
narrow  street,  while  the  drawing-room  windows  opened 
upon  one  of  the  widest  and  most  frequented  thorough- 
fares of  the  capital.  Nevertheless,  Violetta  was  very- 
fond  of  her  small  domain,  and  liked  to  retire  thither 
alone  and  give  herself  up  to  reflection  when  wearied 
with  Carolina's  chatter  and  Madame  Morton's  taci- 
turnity. 

At  twelve  o'clock  Madame  Fouquet  generally  drove 
out  with  her  daughter.  This  was  always  refreshing  ; 
the  air  here  was  so  wonderfully  clear  and  cold,  and 
everything  in  the  streets  was  so  diff'erent  from  what 
they  had  seen  in  Italy  or  France,  that  Beatrice  as 
well  as  her  young  daughter  was  always  entertained. 
The  Fouquet  often  invited  her  '  companion'  to  accom- 
pany them.  Madame  Morton  was  then  enthroned  be- 
side her  in  mute  but  ostentatious  respectability,  and 
there  was  an  air  of  great  dignity  imparted  to  the 
whole  group.  Violetta  often  begged  that  she  might 
have  her  own  little  pony-wagon,  which  she  always 
had  in  Milan,  drawn  by  a  pair  of  the  tiniest  Shetland 
ponies  in  blue  and  silver  harness.  But  her  mother 
declared  that  it  looked  too  frivolously  gay,  not  suffi- 
ciently distinguished,  and  that  she  had  reasons  for 
wishing  to  avoid  such  a  display.  So  the  elegant  lan- 
dau rolled  noiselessly  along,  and  the  sunshine  and 
blue  sky  tempted  all  the  world  forth  to  celebrate 
the  triumph  of  gorgeous  toilets  and  full-blooded  Eng- 
lish racers,  while  seeming  only  to  enjoy  the  lovely 
weather. 

Soon  after  their  return  home  dinner  was  served,  at 


VIOLETTA   FOUqUET  77 

which  guests  were  never  lacking,  for  Madame  Fouquet 
had  many  friends  of  both  sexes  among  the  members 
of  her  profession,  and  her  hospitality  was  princely. 
It  is  true  that  she  always  exacted  the  courtesy  shown 
to  one  whose  endowments  placed  her  far  above  all 
possibility  of  envy  and  jealousy.  And  as  the  charm 
of  her  manner  and  beauty  was  very  great,  she  usually 
was  granted  all  that  she  claimed.  The  management 
as  well  as  her  fellow-artists  were  well  inclined  to  do 
all  in  their  power  for  this  guest,  and  there  was  no  end 
to  the  dinners,  suppers,  and  entertainments  given  in 
her  honour,  for  they  hoped  to  induce  her  to  remain 
with  them,  cost  what  it  might.  But  she  skilfully 
evaded  all  proposals  and  engagements,  although  she 
seemed  to  have  no  desire  to  leave  the  city,  but  con- 
tinued to  enrapture  the  public  nightly  either  as  Elsa, 
Kegia,  Norma,  Leonore,  or  Valentin,  speaking  per- 
fectly various  tongues  and  trained  to  a  high  degree  of 
artistic  perfection  in  all  respects.  Her  voice  accommo- 
dated itself  to  "Wagner's  music  as  well  as  to  Eossini's, 
and  in  contrast  to  her  daughter,  the  stage  was  her 
home,  where  her  many-sided  nature  found  free  j)lay. 

Antonio  Contelli  had  his  place  below  the  salt  at 
Madame  Fouquet's  table.  At  home  the  shy  youth 
was  valued  as  an  admirable  tenor,  but  he  was  taking 
holiday  at  present,  and  Madame  Fouquet,  who  felt 
herself  under  certain  obligations  to  his  parents,  had 
offered  him  a  temporary  position  as  her  secretary. 
He  was  as  devoted  as  Fridolin,  and  contented  with 
any  treatment.  To  adore  Madame  at  a  distance,  and 
to  obey  every  word  and  look  of  Yioletta's,  was  all  the 
enjoyment  that  ho  required  of  life. 

When  the  dinner-guests  departed,  Violctta  would 
throw  herself  on  a  lounge  in  a  bewitching  state  of 

7* 


78  VIOLETTA 

exhaustion,  nestle  her  dark,  curly  head  among  the 
pillows,  and  take  up  some  book  of  poems,  for  she  de- 
lighted in  poems,  and  thought  Tonino  Contelli's  verses 
charming, — a  fact  which  incited  the  devoted  young 
fellow  to  fill  whole  volumes  with  delicate  stanzas. 
'  They  put  one  to  sleep  so  deliciously,'  the  sylph 
would  remark,  with  unconscious  malice. 

Madame  Fouquet,  too,  was  wont  to  rest  after  din- 
ner until  the  time  came  to  go  to  the  opera.  Some- 
times Yioletta  accompanied  her  mother.  She  liked  to 
do  so,  for  the  girl  had  friends  everywhere,  whose  weal 
and  woe  were  very  near  her  heart.  A  thorough 
coward  before  the  curtain,  she  was  a  heroine  in  cour- 
age behind  the  scenes,  whenever  sympathy  was  needed 
or  a  word  of  blame  was  required.  Familiar  with  the 
theatre  from  early  childhood,  and  endowed  with  quick 
sensibilities  and  a  warm  heart,  she  was  far  more 
deeply  interested  in  the  people  who  occupied  subor- 
dinate positions  —  those  who  attended  to  the  me- 
chanical part  of  the  nightly  display — than  in  the 
actors.  The  latter  played,  the  others  worked.  There 
were  the  workmen,  the  machinists,  the  mechanics, 
the  servants,  the  box-openers,  who  laboured  dili- 
gently unseen  and  uncared  for,  receiving  but  paltry 
wages,  and  reaping  no  thanks,  to  say  nothing  of  ap- 
plause. 

As  there  was  for  Violetta  but  one  theatre,  the  thea- 
tre, she  was  at  home  everywhere  in  every  temple  of 
her  mother's  art,  and  found  the  same  tyj^es  repeated 
everywhere.  Thus,  upon  this  evening  she  told  her 
mother,  with  eager,  evei'-ready  sympathy,  "  Only 
think,  mamma,  the  box-opener  in  the  second  tier  has 
six  children,  and  he  has  just  broken  his  leg." 

«  Ah,  Violetta !" 


VIOLETTA   FOUqUET  79 

"And  ho  only  recovered  from  the  varioloid  last 
JSTovember." 

"  The  man  in  Florence  had  the  varioloid  too !"  Bea- 
trice rejoined,  irritably.  "  Do  stop  your  eternal  chat- 
t.er  about  these  people,  Violetta." 

"  But,  mamma,  I  really  have  something "     And, 

interrupting  herself,  she  ran  off,  to  return  shortly,  lead- 
ing by  the  hand  a  little  old  gentleman,  who  found 
some  difficulty  in  following  her  light  footsteps. 

"He  says,  mamma,"  she  exclaimed,  breathless,  "the 
Herr  Musikdirektor  says  that  my  voice  is  an  unap- 
preciated jewel.  Was  not  that  it?  Ah,  Herr  Musik- 
direktor, pray  speak !" 

"  Pardon,  my  dear  Herr  Buchwald,"  said  Beatrice, 
before  the  old  man  could  say  a  word ;  "  there  are 
third-  and  fourth- rate  jewels.  You  probably  mean  a 
rock-crystal." 

"Excuse  me,  madame,  I  mean  a  diamond.  Con- 
telli" — he  smiled  ironically — "  is  hardly  the  one  to 
perfect  it." 

"  The  first  tenor  of  our  opera,  Herr  Direktor,"  the 
Fouquet  I'ejoined  in  a  haughty  tone ;  "  allow  us  some 
capacity  to  judge,  I  pray." 

Another  man,  Yioletta's  dancing-master,  at  this  in- 
stant made  his  appearance.  "  No,  no,"  he  said.  "  The 
child  must  remain  faithful  to  the  ballot.  All  doubtful 
talent  must  give  place  to  that  which  is  indubitable. 
There  was  once  a  Taglioni,  but  Yiolotta  Fouquet  will 
eclipse  her." 

"  Bravo !"  Beatrice  laughed.     "  Precisely  my  opin- 


80  VIOLETTA 

CHAPTEK    VIII 

SIR   GEORGE   O'HALLORAN 

"It  is  very  hard,"  Yiolotta  murmured  the  next 
morning  early,  as  she  sat  in  her  dressing-gown  wait- 
ing for  Carolina  to  bring  her  her  breakfast ;  and  as  she 
leaned  back  in  her  arm-chair  the  tears  glittered  in  her 
eyes,  and  she  sighed  profoundly. 

Sighs  and  tears  were  both  called  forth  by  the  mem- 
ory of  the  previous  evening.  How  could  she  ever 
submit  to  the  ordeal  of  that  horrible  public  ?  Life  be- 
gan to  wear  a  cloudy  aspect  to  the  eyes  which  had 
hitherto  seen  only  clear  skies  above  them.  But  she 
forgot  her  gloomy  reflections  when  Carolina  appeared 
with  the  tray  that  held  her  dainty  repast, — a  steaming 
cup  of  chocolate  and  a  basket  of  tempting  sugar-cakes. 
When  the  maid  left  the  room,  Yioletta  sipped  her 
chocolate  leisurely  and  ate  one  of  the  cakes,  then 
going  to  the  window  she  lightly  drummed  on  the 
glass,  and  stood  expectant,  looking  down  into  the 
narrow,  dim  street.  Tall  houses  of  gloomy  aspect 
seemed  to  turn  their  backs  upon  it  in  disdain.  Thb 
noise  and  hubbub  of  the  wider,  more  frequented  thor- 
oughfares floated  hither  muffled  by  distance,  and  the 
dwellers  there  below  could  see  but  a  narrow  strip  of 
blue  sky  above  their  heads.  And  yet,  strangely 
enough,  the  life  led  in  this  narrow  street  interested 
Violetta  far  more  than  the  humy  and  bustle  of  the 
principal  streets  and  squares.  This  was  not  the  first 
time  that  she  had  stood  lookinc:  down  to  see  what 


SIR   GEORGE  O'HALLORAN  81 

was  going  on  below.  Little  children  were  always  at 
play  there  with  tops  and  marbles,  and  they  almost  all 
looked  pale  and  sickly.  Yioletta  had  once  seen  a 
cross-looking  woman  come  out  of  the  cellar  where  she 
lived  and  give  one  of  the  children  a  crust  of  bread. 
A  little  girl  standing  by  had  nothing,  and  she  sat 
down  on  a  step  and  cried  bitterly.  Madame  Fouquet's 
daughter  instantly  was  inspired  bj^  a  happy  thought. 
Beside  her  was  a  basket  of  sugar-cakes.  She  ran  for 
a  ball  of  worsted  from  her  work-basket,  tied  one  end 
of  it  to  a  cake,  and  lowered  it  down  in  front  of  the 
very  eyes  of  the  amazed  child. 

Since  that  day  the  same  thing  had  been  done 
every  morning,  and  the  only  wonder  was  that  it  had 
not  resulted  in  a  severe  cold  for  the  young  bene- 
factress. Gradually  between  the  youngest  dwellers 
in  the  narrow  street  and  the  'pretty  lady'  overhead 
an  understanding  was  established  by  means  of  signs 
that  left  nothing  to  be  desired  in  the  way  of  an  un- 
written language.  As  soon  as  Violetta  tapped  upon 
the  window  a  band  marshalled  itself  below,  and  gave 
her  to  understand  by  unmistakable  gestures  that  all 
the  bigger  brothers  and  sisters,  whose  rapacity  and 
superior  strength  were  to  be  feared,  had  marched  off 
to  school.  Every  face  broadened  into  a  smile,  and  the 
eyes  directed  to  the  upper  story  sparkled  as  they 
watched  the  descent  of  so  many  delicious  morsels. 
Ah,  this  was  a  '  public'  after  Violetta's  own  heart. 

The  cakes  were  scarcely  gone  when  Carolina  reap- 
peared to  dress  her  young  mistress's  hair,  and  Madame 
Morton  entered  to  say  that  Madame  Fouquet  wished 
to  see  her  daughter  immediately. 

Violetta  flow  to  the  drawing-room,  but  had  no 
sooner  opened  the  door  than  she  paused  in  dismay, 
/ 


82  VIOLETTA 

for,  oll,  heavens !  there  sat  an  elderly,  smooth-shaven 
gentleman,  the  sight  of  whom  recalled  all  her  distress 
of  the  previous  evening.  He  now  settled  his  specta- 
cles on  his  nose,  and  examined  her  with  the  air  of  a 
gardener  hesitating  whether  or  not  to  purchase  a  new 
species  of  rose  for  his  parterre. 

"  Come,  Yioletta,"  said  Madame  Beatrice,  "  and 
thank  Herr  Steinach.  He  will  allow  you  to  take  part 
in  the  fairy  pantomime  next  Tuesday." 

"  He  is  very  kind,"  the  girl  said  obediently,  but  with 
a  little  sigh ;  "  only  I  am  so  very  stupid." 

She  looked  so  lovely  in  her  confusion  that,  as  Herr 
Steinach  rose  to  go,  he  said,  with  a  smile,  ""VVe  are 
quite  ready  to  forgive  some  awkwardness  in  so  young 
an  artist." 

"When  he  had  gone,  Madame  Fouquet  said  calmly, 
"  That  is  settled,  then.  Why  are  you  in  your  morn- 
ing-dress so  late,  Yioletta  ?  Tell  Carolina  to  put  on 
your  gray  suit.  I  want  you  to  call  with  me  upon  the 
Princess  Menardi." 

"Ah,"  said  Violetta,  in  a  melancholy  tone,  "that 
too,  mamma?  Do  you  like  her?  She  is  so  very 
yellow." 

Beatrice  laughed.  "  She  is  the  golden  key  to  the 
most  aristocratic  drawing-rooms  in  town.  Such  a 
one  is  not  easy  to  find.  Do  not  stand  there  looking 
so  foolish,  my  child.  What  is  it?"  The  last  three 
words  were  spoken  to  a  servant,  who  handed  her  a 
cai'd. 

'  George,'  Yioletta  read  over  her  mother's  shoulder. 
The  card  was  written  in  pencil. 

'  George !'  screamed  the  parrot,  ruffling  his  feathers. 

"  Where  is  he?"  exclaimed  Madame  Fouquet,  eagerly. 
"  Why  does  he  not  come  up  ?" 


SIR  GEORGE  O'HALLORAN  83 

"Madame,"  the  servant  stammered,  "lias  ordered 
the  carriage." 

"Idiot!"  Beatrice  exclaimed,  stamping  her  foot. 
"Eun  after  him;  bring  him  up  fi-om  the  street  if 
need  be." 

"  No  need,  madame  j  here  I  am.  I  am  not  so  easily 
turned  away." 

At  the  open  door  stood  a  man  who,  once  seen, 
was  not  easily  forgotten.  An  Adonis?  An  Apollo? 
Good  heavens,  no !  Eather  a  Cyclops,  on  leave  of 
absence  from  Father  Yulcan. 

And  yet  there  were  people  who  maintained  that  Sir 
George  O'Halloran  was  a  handsome  man. 

He  was  scarcely  an  elegant  figure  for  a  fashionable 
drawing-room.  Shoi-t,  broad,  muscularly  built,  his 
rough  coat  and  leather  leggings  suggested  an  English 
squire,  which  suggestion  was  contradicted,  however, 
by  a  crimson  kerchief  artistically  knotted  about  his 
throat,  and  a  soft  black  felt  Eembrandt  hat,  which 
gave  him  rather  a  theatric  air.  His  head,  which  re- 
minded one  of  the  busts  of  Beethoven,  was  carried 
high,  and  the  black  eyes  in  the  tanned  face  seemed 
positively  to  burn  with  the  intense  fire  of  their  glance. 
His  thick,  bushy  hair  was  sprinkled  with  gray,  and 
lay  in  disordered,  tangled  masses  above  his  broad 
forehead.  If  he  would  have  kept  quiet,  one  would 
have  found — with  surprise,  perhaps — the  impress  of 
manly  beauty  and  force  on  his  strongly-marked  coun- 
tenance, but  he  was  never  quiet.  His  features  wei-e 
always  in  motion,  the  oddest  changes  of  expression 
flashed  across  them  continually,  like  lightning  over  a 
rugged  landscape,  lending  them  at  times  a  grotesque- 
ness,  heigh'tened  by  the  tanned  and  wrinkled  texture 
of  his  skin. 


84  VIOLETTA 

Swift  as  a  deer  Beatrice  ran  to  this  man  as  he  stood 
broad,  sturdy,  and  frowning,  her  face  beaming  with 
delight.  She  buried  her  white  hands  in  his  shock 
of  hair,  drew  the  unlovely  head  down  to  her  lips  and 
kissed  it  on  the  forehead.  Then,  before  he  could  pre- 
vent her,  she  stooped,  took  his  hand,  and  imprinted  a 
kiss  upon  that  also. 

"  Dear  old  friend  I"  she  exclaimed. 

"Nonsense!"  he  cried,  both  touched  and  vexed. 
"Would  you  make  me  out  a  Methuselah,  madame? 
Come,  come,  let's  have  a  look  at  you!  And  that  is 
little  Yioletta?  Little?  Confound  it!  the  butterfly 
has  burst  the  chrysalis,  and  that's  the  truth.  Well  ? 
The  chit  does  not  know  me.  Is  this  the  way  you 
keep  your  vows.  Miss  Humming-bird  ?  Who  promised 
seven  years  ago,  by  all  that  was  sacred,  to  be  my  wife  ?" 

Violetta  was  startled  at  first,  and  then,  with  an  irre- 
sistible impulse  to  laugh,  turned  and  ran  out  of  the 
room. 

"  Brava !"  he  said.  "  My  attempt  at  enlightenment 
is  hardly  successful,  eh?  You're  a  little  frightened 
too,  Beatrice?" 

"  I  frightened  ?    And  at  you  ?    Ah  I" 

"  Well,  then,  tell  me  what  you  have  been  doing  for 
these  seven  years." 

"Yes,  seven  years,  sir!"  she  said,  reproachfully. 
"  What  have  you  been  doing  all  this  time  ?" 

"  Most  of  it  playing  the  hermit  in  G .     I  have 

composed  several  new  operas,  which  I  trust  you  will 
make  popular." 

"  Excuse  me,  no !  I  have  not  forgotten  the  repre- 
sentation of  your  first  opera,  *  Der  Fiederfittich,'  when 
the  audience  in  the  little  theatre  kept  calling  out 
'false!  false!'" 


SIR   GEORGE  O'HALLORAN  85 

"  Nonsense !"  he  growled.     "  Why  false  ?" 

"  Because  it  was  not  exactly  Strauss's  '  Fledei-maus.' " 

"  That's  all  your  fancj'',  Beatrice,"  he  said,  wrink- 
ling his  forehead,  while  he  smiled  good-humouredly. 
"  You  are  positively  the  most  malicious  woman  in  the 
world." 

"And  yet,"  she  added,  gently,  and  her  eyes  filled 
with  tears,  "  it  seems  to  me  as  if  I  had  heard  no  real 
music  since  I  last  heard  you." 

"  Ah,  flatterer.     iNow  tell  me  all  about  yourself" 

She  did  so  with  a  conscientious  exactitude  quite 
foreign  to  her  mercurial  temperament.  And  in  turn 
he  unrolled  before  her  the  picture  of  a  strange  exist- 
ence, that  of  a  man  who  had  turned  his  back  upon 
the  I'ank  of  life  to  which  he  was  entitled  by  wealth 
and  birth,  and  who  had  found  his  friends,  his  inter- 
ests, his  amusements,  among  the  lower  class  of  hu- 
manity. 

From  time  to  time  as  he  was  talking  he  arose  and 
walked  to  and  fro  in  the  room,  looking  about  him  ab- 
sently, as  if  seeking  something.  At  last  Madame 
Fouquet  arose  also,  and,  taking  his  arm,  led  him  into 
the  adjoining  apartment  and  up  to  the  grand  j)iano. 
"  Here,  my  friend,"  she  said,  gently. 

He  ran  his  hand  through  his  hair  and  groaned. 
"  Of  course,"  he  said,  "she  knows  me  well,  does  Betty. 
Have  patience  now  for  a  while.  I  haven't  touched  a 
note  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  thirsty  soul  needs 
refreshment." 

He  ran  his  fingers  over  the  keys,  and  then  struck 
the  first  chords  of  one  of  Beethoven's  sonatas. 

The  Fouquet  threw  herself  into  an  arm-chair,  folded 
her  hands,  and  listened.  Ah,  he  played  wondrously  1 
One  began  to  understand  and  to  admire  him  as  sooq 


86  VIOLETTA 

as  he  sat  down  at  the  piano.  Yes,  one  even  began 
to  think  him  handsome,  for  then  his  face  was  ma- 
jestic, inspired.  He  played  with  force,  and  yet  with 
gentleness,  as  the  sea  rolls,  as  the  wind  moans  among 
old  trees. 

"When  he  had  finished,  the  Fouquet  arose,  went  up 
to  him,  and  laid  her  hand  ujDon  his  shoulder.  She 
looked  restless  and  disturbed ;  he  seemed  hardly  to  see 
her. 

"  Ah,  Sir  George,  when  I  hear  you  play  once  more, 
I  grow  undecided.  I  seem  to  hear  a  menacing  voice 
warning  me." 

"  What  in  the  name  of  all  the  saints  do  you  mean, 
madame?  You  look  as  though  conscience  were  at 
work.     What  is  it  ?" 

"You  know  whose  hand  lifted  me  up  out  of  the 
dust, — to  whom  I  owe  my  laurels,  and " 

"  Do  you  mean  me  ?"  he  asked,  a  thousand  wrinkles 
suddenly  appearing  in  his  forehead.  "  If  you  do,  then 
drop  your  metaphors." 

"  I  owe  them  all  to  you,"  she  went  on ;  "  and  there- 
fore to  you  first  I  owe  the  confession  that  I  am  about 
to  cast  away  these  laurels." 

"  Which  means ?" 

"  That  I  think  of  marrying." 

*'  You  ?    And  who  is  the  unhappy  man  ?" 

"  You  flatter  me  indeed."  And  the  singer  laughed 
good-humouredly.  "  Do  you  suppose  that  no  man  can 
find  it  possible  to  bear  with  Beatrice  Fouquet's  whims  ? 
Surely  another  might  venture  upon  what  Albert  Fou- 
quet undertook." 

"  Yery  well ;  who  is  it  ?" 

"  Perhaps  no  one ;  perhaps  only  an  idea.  Who 
knows  ?    As  I  listened  to  your  music  I  was  attacked 


SIR    GEORGE   O'HALLORAN  81 

by  strange  misgivings.  What  if  I  should  be  about  to 
exchange  life  for  mere  vegetation  ?  the  ideal  for  the 
commonplace  ?  Parnassus  for  the  kitchen  ?" 

"  Crescendo !"  he  exclaimed,  clapping  his  hands. 
"  One  of  Eossini's  first-class  arias.  And  now,  Madame 
Beatrice,  descend,  I  pray  you,  from  your  mountain-tops, 
and  deign,  as  you  are  compassionate,  to  give  me  a  glass 
of  claret." 

"  I  wish  you  did  not  di-ink  quite  so  much,"  she  said, 
gravely. 

"  Don't  be  stingy,  Beatrice." 

They  returned  to  the  other  room,  where  Madame 
Morton  was  crocheting  in  immovable  majesty.  The 
Fouquet  rang  the  bell ;  Sir  George  drank  a  tumbler  of 
claret,  and  held  out  his  glass  to  have  it  refilled.  But 
she  put  aside  the  decanter,  and,  laying  her  hand  upon 
his  arm,  looked  searchingly  into  his  eyes.  "  There 
must  be  something  wrong  with  you.  Sir  George, — you 
are  not  easy  in  your  mind.     What  is  it  ?" 

"  Nothing,  you  most  inquisitive  of  women  ;  nothing 
more  than  usual." 

"  How  did  you  happen  to  come  to  Berlin  just  at  this 
time  ?"  she  asked,  quickly.  *'  If  it  were  to  see  me,  why 
have  you  left  me  to  myself  for  so  long  ?  Our  friend- 
Bhip — or  should  I  say  my  friendship  ? — I  do  not  know 
whether  I  am  anything  to  you " 

"  Good  heavens  I"  he  interrupted  her,  sinking  into  an 
arm-chair  with  an  air  of  resignation ;  "she  is  evidently 
expecting  me  to  make  love  to  her." 

"  Oh,  don't  be  alarmed ;  nothing  of  the  kind.  On 
the  contrary,  I  was  going  to  say  that  my  friendship 
for  you  is  quite  independent  of  frequent  personal 
intercourse;  it  must  always  be  the  same  cordial, 
grateful " 


88  VIOL  ETTA 

"  Nonsense !"  ho  again  interrupted  her.  "  Is  this 
hotel  a  good  one  ?" 

"  Excellent." 

"  Of  course,  since  the  Fouquet  patronizes  it.  How 
much  money  do  you  throw  out  of  the  window  every 
year  for  the  gilded  frame  of  your  existence  ?" 

"  Why  do  you  ask  such  a  question  ?" 

"  Will  your  future  husband  pay  your  debts  ?" 

"  Certainly,  if  he  is  a  gentleman, — which  I  have  no 
reason  to  doubt." 

Sir  George  arose  and  took  his  hat.  "  I  am  going, 
Beatrice.  I  shall  probably  engage  a  room  here.  Au 
revoir."  And  he  left  the  room  without  further  cere- 
mony,  save  a  bow  towards  the  lay  figure  at  the  win- 
dow. 

It  was  Sir  George  O'Halloran  who  years  before  had 
discovered  that  the  little  Beatrice — or  Betty,  as  she 

was  commonly  called,  a  child  in  the  village  of  G , 

in  Ireland — had  a  wonderful  voice. 

Who  was  Betty  ?  No  one  knew.  She  had  been 
charitably  received  into  the  household  of  the  priest  of 
the  poor  little  village  of  G .  She  played  a  Cinde- 
rella part  in  life,  tending  the  goats  and  geese  and  run- 
ning about  barefoot  all  day  long.  The  peasantry  of 
that  district  were  among  the  poorest  in  Ireland :  they 
often  lacked  the  barest  necessaries  of  existence ;  their 
priest  was  not  much  better  off  than  his  parishioners, 
and  little  Betty  was  often  hungry.  Sir  George  easily 
persuaded  the  priest  to  give  up  the  orphan  child  to 
his  guardianship,  and  he  sent  her  directly  to  Italy,  to 
a  family  of  his  acquaintance  in  Milan.  These  good 
people  trained  and  educated  her  for  the  stage,  and 
they  were  the  parents  of  Antonio  Contelli. 

When  Sir  George  saw  his  protegee  again  she  was 


SAGES  AND  ELVES  89 

a  singer  of  repute,  the  wife  of  Albert  Fouquet,  and 
the  mother  of  a  child.  The  drama  of  his  life  had 
been  played :  the  sudden  death,  after  but  a  few  days' 
illness,  of  his  betrothed,  the  very  idol  of  his  strong, 
ardent  heart,  had  made  of  him  the  restless,  eccen- 
tric being  whom  we  have  just  seen, — his  intense  en- 
joyment of  music  seeming  to  be  the  only  relic  left 
him  of  other  days,  when  life  had  been  filled  for  him 
with  harmonies,  now  shattered  into  discord.  His  in- 
terest in  Beatrice  and  her  fortunes  was  still  keen,  how- 
ever ;  he  kept  up  a  constant  correspondence  with  her, 
and  she  never  ceased  to  feel  for  him  the  most  enthusi- 
astic gratitude, — a  gratitude  which  enabled  her  to  over- 
look his  eccentricities  and  to  bear  with  his  changeful 
moods.  She  often  disputed  with  him,  mourning  over 
his  wasted  existence ;  she  sometimes  laughed  at  him ; 
but  she  never  forgot  that  it  was  his  hand  that  had 
raised  her  from  the  dust  of  manual  labour  and  opened 
for  her  the  way  to  fame  and  freedom. 


CHAPTEE    IX 

SAGES   AND   ELVES 


The  Plattows'  drawing-room  was  brilliantly  illu- 
minated, and  around  the  table,  with  its  two  tall  can- 
delabra, was  seated  a  small  company  of  people,  to 
whom  a  footman  was  handing  tea,  while  Marie  Louise 
in  violet  cachemire  that  admirably  became  her  bril- 
liant complexion,  and  her  golden  diadem  of  braids, 
was  enacting  with  great  dignity  and  self-possession 
the  part  of  hostess. 

8* 


90  VIOLETTA 

"  Marie  Louise  has  an  aesthetic  tea  for  her  admirers 
this  evening,"  little  Ehona  Bellwitz  had  whispered  to 
Count  Hess  in  the  morning,  and,  curious  to  see  what 
she  meant,  he  had  accejjted  an  informal  invitation 
from  Frau  von  Plattow,  and  now  made  his  api)earance 
with  TrefFenbach. 

It  was  true,  Marie  Louise  was  giving  a  tea  to  her 
admirers,  but  they  were  not  personages  of  whom  Mag- 
nus Treffenbach  need  feel  jealous.  Around  the  table 
Bat  four  or  five  church  dignitaries,  men  of  venerable 
appearance,  with  whom  she  discoursed  about  missions, 
orphan  asylums,  and  charitable  institutions,  with  such 
thorough  knowledge  of  her  subject,  and  with  such 
excellent  judgment,  that  it  was  impossible  not  to 
admire  hei*.  These  matters  formed  the  chief  interest 
of  her  life.  To  convert  Eavenhorst  into  an  Eden  of 
order,  virtue,  and  fear  of  the  Lord,  had  always  been 
her  dream.  There  was  no  doubt  that  she  already 
seemed  to  herself  the  mistress  of  the  estate,  already 
felt  the  resj)onsibilities  of  the  position,  and  had  al- 
ready formed  plans  for  the  physical,  mental,  and  moral 
amelioration  of  her  people. 

Such  a  mind,  clear,  bright,  and  strong,  inspired  by 
philanthropic  ideas,  could  not  fail  to  arouse  the  inter- 
est of  those  whose  task  in  life  was  that  of  minister- 
ing to  the  wants  of  the  souls  of  their  fellow-men. 
Much  might  be  looked  for  in  the  future  from  a  woman 
who  possessed  not  only  the  desire,  but  also  the  means, 
to  aid  in  the  great  work  of  the  regeneration  of  man- 
kind. She  certainly  would  exercise  a  positive  and  ex- 
tensive influence  in  the  circle  of  which  she  must  be 
a  centre.  Such  women,  distinguished  by  birth  and 
wealth,  and  animated  by  an  intense  desire  to  do  good 
as  far  as  in  them  lies,  are  greatly  needed  in  the  church. 


SAGES  AND  ELVES  91 

They  are  like  genuine  jewels  among  bits  of  paste  and 
glass,  and  what  shepherd  of  souls  would  neglect  an 
opportunity  for  encouraging  and  inciting  such  powei'- 
ful  assistants  ? 

Old  Herr  and  Frau  von  Plattow  had  withdrawn 
to  the  adjoining  ajiartment,  which  was  more  dimly 
lighted,  and  where  Count  Hess  joined  Herr  von  Plat- 
tow  in  a  game  of  chess  by  the  light  of  a  shaded  lamp. 
The  doors  into  the  next  room  were  wide  open,  and 
from  the  half-light  of  the  apartment  where  he  sat,  the 
Count  could  see  Fräulein  von  Plattow's  tall,  slender 
figure  sitting  in  an  arm-chair,  as  she  looked  up  with 
gi'ave  interest  into  the  face  of  the  Herr  Consistorial- 
rath,  who  had  lately  held  forth  to  her  upon  the  evils 
of  the  age,  and  who  had  now  entered  upon  the  second 
part  of  his  discourse, — namely,  their  cure.  The  rest 
joined  in  the  conversation  from  time  to  time,  and  the 
large  light  blue  eyes  were  turned  upon  whoever  was 
Bpeaking  with  the  same  cold,  calm  expression,  which 
nevertheless  revealed  a  thorough  honesty  of  purpose. 
Magnus,  too,  seemed  deeply  interested  in  the  talk,  and 
sometimes  ventured  to  oppose  the  views  of  the  clerical 
dignitaries,  who  would  gravely  shake  their  heads  over 
his  remarks  and  proceed  to  controvert  them  with  the 
sage  arguments  of  ripened  age.  From  time  to  time 
Marie  Louise  put  some  direct  question  to  her  be- 
trothed, looking  at  him  as  she  did  so  with  precisely 
the  same  gaze  with  which  she  turned  to  the  venerable 
men, — a  look  full  of  intense  but  purely  objective  in- 
terest. 

"  She  would  drive  me  mad,"  thought  Armin  Hess, 
mechanically  making  a  move  on  the  chess-board  which 
provoked  a  slightly  triumphant  smile  on  the  j)art  of 
his  antagonist,  and  caused  the  good  old  Frau  to  exult 


92  VIOLETTA 

inwardly,  for  Count  Hess  was  thought  to  play  an 
admirable  game. 

"  She  is  all  snow.  Pshaw,  no !  for  snow  would  melt 
finally,"  he  thought,  as  he  stroked  his  long  silky 
moustache,  and  the  old  people  opposite  held  a  short 
council  of  war  over  the  next  move  to  be  made. 

He  was  possessed  by  a  strange  impatience.  For  the 
last  hour  he  had  been  closely  watching  the  beautiful 
woman  enthroned  in  the  next  room,  and  in  all  that 
time  her  face  had  never  changed.  Still  the  same  look 
of  calm  attention,  never  brightened  by  a  smile  or  in- 
terrupted by  a  blush.  No  emotion  had  disturbed  the 
dignified  repose  of  her  features. 

"  Good  heavens  1"  he  thought  to  himself,  "  I  ought 
to  be  her  lover.  "Well,  and  what  then  ?  I  never  would 
rest  until " 

"  Eh,  eh,  my  dear  Count,  what  do  you  say  to  matters 
now  ?"  the  old  gentleman  asked,  rubbing  his  hands. 

"  I  am  lost." 

"  So  it  seems  to  me." 

**  Unless "  and  he  smiled  as  he  made  a  move 

which  no  one  had  foreseen,  and  by  which  he  became 
once  more  master  of  the  situation.  For  an  instant  his 
attention  was  riveted  on  the  game,  but  when  he  raised 
his  eyes  he  saw  nothing  save  that  enigmatical  face,  felt 
nothing  save  a  growing  desire  to  disturb  that  icy  calm, 
to  touch  that  marble  heart  with  a  conjurer's  wand. 
"Magnus  is  a  fool  I  Instead  of  puzzling  his  brains 
over  theological  problems,  he  had  better  apply  him- 
self to  investigating  his  goddess's  capacity  to  smile. 
It  would  be  a  most  interesting  study." 

His  own  thoughts  startled  him.  It  is  not  well  to 
indulge  in  such  fancies.  He  turned  to  the  game  again, 
but  it  was  too  late.     He  had  lost  the  advantage  so 


SAGES  AND  ELVES  93 

skilfully  gained.  The  old  gentleman  was  triumphant, 
and  exulted  loudly.  His  wife  laid  her  hand  gently 
upon  the  Count's  shoulder.  "  You  are  very  kind,  Count 
Hess,  to  spend  this  time  in  giving  pleasure  to  us  old 
people,  instead  of  taking  part  in  the  interesting  con- 
versation going  on  in  the  next  room." 

She  spoke  with  some  emotion,  and  Iless  took  her 
hand  and  carried  it  reverently  to  his  lips,  moved  by 
a  sudden  impulse  of  filial  tenderness  towards  the  kindly 
old  couple. 

"  Your  mother  has  a  very  good  son  in  you,  Count 
Hess." 

"  Not  a  very  good  one,  I  am  afraid." 

He  thought  of  his  home, — of  his  father,  whose  rank 
and  position  forced  him  to  maintain  a  style  of  living 
with  which  his  income  did  not  correspond;  of  his 
mother,  a  cold,  calculating  woman  of  the  world,  who 
was  always  on  the  lookout  for  a  wealthy  wife  for  him, 
— and  he  suddenly  seemed  to  himself  lonely  and  or- 
phaned ;  a  vague  longing  for  domestic  peace,  domestic 
happiness,  possessed  him. 

"Have  you  any  brothers?"  the  old  lady  asked, 
kindly. 

«  No." 

"  Or  sisters  ?" 

"  I  had  a  foster-sister.  She  was  the  daughter  ot  a 
distant  relative  of  my  father's." 

*'  What  has  become  of  her  ?" 

«'She  died." 

He  spoke  in  a  tone  which  led  Frau  von  Plattow  lo 
look  up  at  him.     "  Ah,  that  was  a  great  grief  to  you." 

"  Perhaps  it  was  best.  It  decided  a  question  which 
had  caused  discord  between  myself  and  my  parents, 
who  were  unwilling  to  accede  to  my  wishes." 


94  VIOLETTA 

"  Ah,  I  am  sorry.  I  am  sure  she  was  gentle  *nd 
good." 

"  Too  good  for  me." 

There  was  a  pause,  interrupted  by  the  moving  of 
the  chairs  in  the  adjoining  room. 

"  The  gentlemen  are  going,"  said  Count  Hess,  rising. 
"  I  must  bid  you  good-evening." 

But  Treffenbach  did  not  seem  ready  to  go  yet,  and 
after  he  had  bidden  farewell  to  his  betrothed's  ad- 
mirers, lingered  a  moment  to  discuss  some  messages 
to  be  sent  to  the  pastor's  wife  at  Yelzin.  Hess  waited 
for  his  friend,  and  together  they  left  the  hotel.  On 
the  street  the  Count  said,  "  These  six-o'clock  teas  have 
one  advantage :  they  give  one  time  to  look  in  at  the 
theatre.  I  have  two  tickets  here,  and,  as  Schlacken 
is  on  duty,  I  will  solemnly  endow  you  with  one.    Come." 

"lionsense!  I  have  some  work  to  do." 

"  That  is  an  excuse  which  can  be  valid  only  in  the 
morning.     In  the  evening  man  needs  relaxation." 

"  If  that  is  your  opinion  you  must  keep  me  away 
from  the  theatre.  I  have  no  taste  for  such  amuse- 
ments, and  the  heat,  the  close  perfumed  air " 

"  Hush  I"  the  Count  said,  peremptorily.  "  If  I,  for 
your  sake,  have  endured  the  sight  of  those  five  high- 
priests,  you  can  do  something  for  mine.  The  little 
Fouquet  is  to  appear  in  public  to-night  for  the  first 
time,  and  I  am  going  to  enjoy  her  bewitching  timidity." 

Magnus  yielded  reluctantly  after  some  further  re- 
monstrance. Count  Hess  assured  him  that  he  need 
not  stay  longer  than  half  an  hour  in  the  theatre ;  no 
one  was  so  plebeian  as  to  sit  out  the  whole  thing. 

The  house  was  full,  the  insignificant  play  well 
begun.  Treffenbach  glanced  towards  the  stage,  and 
then  turned  his  attention  to  the  audience,  among 


SAGES  AND  ELVES  95 

whom  he  soon  discovered  his  father.  The  general 
recognized  his  son  and  looked  greatly  pleased. 

"  "We  might  go  over  to  him,"  said  Count  Hess ;  "  this 
thing  is  wretchedly  stupid.  I  thought  we  should 
have  come  just  in  time  for  the  scene  in  which  I  am 
interested." 

"  Bravo,  Magnus !"  said  his  Excellency,  as  the  two 
young  men  appeared  in  his  box.  "  I  repeat,  my  dear 
Armin,  you  are  a  priceless  friend." 

The  curtain,  which  had  fallen,  was  just  rising  again, 
disclosing  a  garden  filled  with  flowers  of  every  hue. 
In  the  background  were  tropical  trees  and  gigantic 
plants  woven  together  by  a  tracery  of  trailing  vines. 
Silvery  fountains  tossed  their  spray  over  the  steps  of 
a  large  white  marble  basin,  upon  the  clear  waters  of 
which  lotos-flowers  were  floating.  Gorgeous  butter- 
flies and  steel-blue  dragon-flies  hovered  in  the  air, 
and  in  every  flower-cup  an  elf  was  sleeping.  Low, 
melodious  music  in  the  distance  announced  the  ap- 
proach of  the  God  of  Love,  and  at  the  sound  all  these 
airy  creatures  in  gauzy  garments  and  with  glitter- 
ing wings  fluttered  aloft.  The  confusion  thus  caused 
was  about  to  resolve  itself  into  a  dance,  when  one  of 
the  elves  was  suddenly  seen  to  fall  from  her  airy 
height.  There  was  a  low  cry,  a  dull  thud,  a  momen- 
tary silence,  a  brief  word  of  command,  and  the  curtain 
fell.  The  stir  this  occasioned  in  the  audience  was 
quieted  by  the  speedy  rise  of  the  curtain  again,  and 
the  fairy  spectacle  proceeded  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened. 

But  a  whisper  ran  from  mouth  to  mouth,  "  It  must 
have  been  the  little  Fouquet.  She  is  not  there  now. 
Can  you  see  her  ?" 

"  I  am  sure  it  was  she,"  Count  Hess  exclaimed,  in- 


96  VIOLETTA 

dignantly.  "It  is  a  horrible  pity.  If  there  he  one 
delicate  flower  among  the  weeds  it  is  sure  to  be  de- 
stroyed." 

General  TrefFenbach  arose,  and  stood,  tall  and  dig- 
nified, as  he  remarked,  quietly,  "  I  think  the  Princess 
Menai'di  would  be  glad  to  have  me  find  out  the  state 
of  the  case.     I  see  she  is  much  agitated." 

His  son  looked  at  him  in  surprise,  but  rather  ab- 
sently. Count  Hess  offered  to  make  inquiries  for  him, 
but  his  Excellency  had  already  left  the  box. 

"  We  must  go  back  to  our  places,"  said  Hess,  and 
his  friend  assented.  In  the  corridor  it  seemed  as  if 
Hess  would  fain  follow  the  general.  "  It  would  be 
terrible  if  it  really  were  she !"  he  said ;  "  that  cry 
went  to  my  very  heart.     Such  a  lovely  little  creature 

to  be Treffenbach,  you  are  positively  made  of 

marble !" 

"  Excuse  me,"  Magnus  replied,  ironically.  "  I  cannot 
conceive  how  you  can  waste  such  an  amount  of  emo- 
tion upon  a  ballet-girl's  sprained  ankle.  Well,  what 
shall  we  do  ?  You  do  not  seem  disposed  to  go  back 
to  your  place.     In  that  case,  I  will  go  home." 

"  Good-night,"  Hess  said,  coldly. 

Treffenbach  did  not  notice  the  coldness,  and  took 
his  departure.  His  friend  hurried  to  Madame  Fou- 
quet's  dressing-room.  A  throng  of  workmen  barred 
the  way  thither.     They  were  all  greatly  excited. 

"What  has  happened  to  Yioletta  Fouquet?"  he 
asked,  as  he  forced  his  way  through  them. 

"What?  She  fell!"  a  man  rejolied  in  a  tone  which 
he  evidently  tried  to  make  rough  to  conceal  emotion. 
"  Go  into  the  room.  She  is  lying  there  with  a  broken 
leg.  Why  should  it  happen  to  just  her?  She  never 
did  harm  to  any  one." 


SAGES  AND  ELVES  97 

Count  Hess  entered  the  open  door.  There  was  a 
crowd  of  people  in  the  room,  but  the  profound  silence 
was  broken  only  by  a  woman's  low  sobs.  Upon  a 
mattress  on  the  floor  lay  a  delicate,  quivering  form  in 
a  crushed  gauze  dress,  the  glittering  wings  broken, 
the  flowers  in  the  hair  disordered,  and  with  a  waxen, 
lifeless  little  face. 

Beside  this  couch  a  surgeon  was  kneeling,  carefully 
bandaging  the  broken  ankle.  At  his  side  stood 
Madame  Fouquet,  benumbed  by  terror,  her  face  hidden 
in  her  handkerchief.  But  Violetta's  head  rested  on 
the  arm  of  the  man  who  had  hurried  to  relieve  the 
Princess  Menardi's  anxiety.  His  hand  was  stroking 
the  soft  dark  curls  from  the  pale  brow  with  paternal 
tenderness. 

"  Have  you  finished  ?"  he  asked  the  surgeon. 

"In  an  instant,  your  Excellency.  Now  bring  the 
litter,  Herr  Assistant,  that  the  mattress  may  be  lifted 
on  it.  It  is  of  the  first  importance  that  not  a  moment 
be  lost.  The  limb  cannot  be  bandaged  as  it  should  be 
until  the  patient  is  at  home." 

"  Can  I  do  anything  to  help  ?"  asked  Count  Hess, — 
"  bring  people  to  carry  the  litter  ?" 

"  Thanks,"  the  surgeon  replied,  with  a  smile  ;  "  there 
are  a  dozen  workmen  outside  the  door  who  are  ready 
to  fight  for  that  honour," 

General  von  Trefl^onbach  arose,  offered  his  arm  to 
Beatrice  Fouquet,  and  conducted  her  in  silence  through 
the  increasing  crowd,  following  the  litter,  upon  which 
lay  the  motionless  figure,  covered  with  a  mantle,  as  if 
it  were  dead.  There  was  something  in  the  mute  pro- 
cession that  seemed  to  suggest  the  texTor  of  the  grave, 
and  that  filled  the  singer's  emotional  soul  with  fear 
and  dread.  As  she  took  the  arm  offered  her  she  looked 
^       g  9 


98  VIOLETT  A 

up  at  the  general  with  imploring  eyes,  as  if  beseech- 
ing aid, — as  if  he  could  protect  her  and  banish  tho 
terrible  visions  of  this  hour. 


CHAPTEE    X 

GENERAL   MONTRfiSOB 

The  next  morning  the  accident  that  had  befallen 
Madame  Fouquet's  daughter  was  known  throughout 
the  capital,  and  the  universal  sympathy  was  perhaps 
even  more  warm  and  genuine  than  it  would  have  been 
had  the  singer  been  the  victim.  Beatrice  Fouquet, 
wherever  she  went,  reaped  fame  and  laurels.  Violetta 
was  more  loved  than  praised.  All  who  had  once  seen 
her  in  her  fresh  young  beauty  preserved  a  tender  recol- 
lection of  her.  Her  timidity  upon  the  stage,  and  her 
gentle  self-possession  in  society,  formed  a  contrast 
that  touched  even  the  indifferent.  Many  a  friendly 
eye  had  been  turned  upon  her  with  a  certain  compas- 
sion. What  would  the  life  upon  the  threshold  of  which 
stood  this  joyous  and  confiding  child  bring  her  with 
the  coming  years  ?  Some,  seeing  the  admiration  and 
praise  which  were  showered  upon  her,  at  first  shook 
their  heads  in  disapproval,  prophesying  that  her  char- 
acter would  be  ruined,  her  vanity  only  nourished ;  but 
when  brought  into  contact  with  her  innocence  and 
purity,  her  constant  thought  of  others,  they  too  had 
nothing  for  her  but  praise. 

Hence  there  was  a  constant  stream  of  carriages 
rolling  to  the  door  of  the  hotel,  and   the  inquiries 


GENERAL   MO N TRESOR  99 

after  the  young  sufferer  were  endless.  Sir  George 
was  one  of  the  earliest  visitors.  In  the  ante-room 
he  found  Contelli,  who  had  been  stationed  there  by 
Madame  Fouquet  to  answer  all  inquiries.  The  poor 
fellow  looked  as  if  the  world  had  suddenly  come  to 
an  end  for  him ;  but  Sir  George  paid  no  attention  to 
his  timid  declaration  that  the  Signora  could  receive 
no  one :  he  passed  directly  into  the  music-room  adjoin- 
ing Madame  Beatrice's  private  di-awing-room.  In  the 
cold,  comparatively  bare  music-room  the  feted  singer 
was  wont  to  receive  callers, — the  inner  room,  always 
filled  with  flowers,  she  reserved  for  her  intimate 
friends.  No  barriers  existed  for  Sir  George,  who, 
in  the  few  days  that  had  elapsed  since  his  arrival  in 
the  capital,  had  won  his  way  to  Violetta's  heart  by 
his  exquisite  music,  and  still  more  by  the  thorough 
kindness  of  nature  that  shone  through  his  rough  ex- 
terior, and  by  the  warm  interest  he  had  shown  in  her 
poor  little  proteges  in  the  back  street.  He,  on  his  part, 
had  been  roused  to  unwonted  interest  in  '  Betty's 
child,'  mistrusting  her  mother's  power  to  develop  this 
delicate  flower,  who  seemed  born  to  breathe  about 
her,  and  over  all  who  came  within  her  influence,  the 
fragrance  of  natural  purity  and  unselfishness.  He  had 
been  much  opposed  to  Violetta's  appearance  in  the 
fairy  spectacle,  and  had  made  this  known  in  his 
own  rough  way,  that,  antagonistic  though  it  were  to 
Violetta's  delicate  gentleness  of  temperament,  had  yet 
been  so  welcome  a  support  to  her  own  reluctance  that 
he  seemed  to  her  the  truest  of  friends. 

He  now  passed  hastily  through  the  music-room  into 
the  smaller  room  beyond,  where  in  place  of  the  divan 
he  found  a  large  reclining-chair,  upon  which  Violetta 
lay  with   closed   eyes.     From   the   window   Madamo 


100  VIOLETTA 

Morton,  still  crocheting,  cast  a  forbidding  glance  at  the 
intruder. 

"  Oh,  Sir  George !"  Violetta  said,  suddenly  opening 
her  eyes. 

"  Well,  little  one,  what  is  all  this  that  I  hear  about 
you  ?"  He  sjjoke  rather  roughly,  for  he  was  not  quite 
sure  of  steadying  his  voice  at  sight  of  the  little  face 
bereft  of  every  trace  of  colour  and  with  dark  bluish 
rings  encircling  the  beautiful  childlike  eyes.  She 
smiled  at  him  heroically,  however,  and  whispered, — 

"  Ah,  you  know  how  glad,  how  thankful  I  am  I  And 
you  know  why " 

Then  came  a  deep  sigh,  and  she  closed  her  eyes 
again. 

"  Where  is  your  mother?"  he  asked. 

"Ah,  poor  mamma  has  been  watching  and  crying 
all  night  long.  She  was  so  tii'cd,  but  she  would  not 
lie  down ;  she  has  gone  to  dress,  for  she  said  some  one 
might  come  whom  she  should  be  obliged  to  see.  Ah, 
Sir  George,  be  kind  to  poor  mamma.  She  will  be  so 
disappointed," 

"  She  has  no  cause  for  disappointment  that  I  can  see, 
but  much  for  distress." 

"  But,  Sir  George,  she  is  distressed  too ;  be  good  to 
her." 

The  whispering  came  to  an  end,  for  Beatrice  Fou- 
quet  entered  the  I'oom.  In  spite  of  the  weariness  and 
anxiety  of  a  night  spent  in  watching,  she  had  dressed 
with  great  care,  and  had  evidently  endeavoured  to 
banish  from  her  face  all  trace  of  tears. 

"  Well,  madame,"  Sir  George  said,  "  it  was  hardly 
fair  of  you  not  to  send  for  me  when  you  were  in  such 
trouble.  What  are  old  friends  good  for  if  they  cannot 
be  made  use  of  at  such  times  ?" 


GENERAL  MONTRESOR  101 

"  Thank  you," — and  she  held  out  her  hand  to  him, — • 
"  but  you  could  have  done  no  good.  The  surgeon  was 
very  skilful,  but  he  would  not  give  her  chloroform  ;  he 
said  she  was  too  delicate.  And  so  she  had  to  bear  the 
pain." 

"Ah,  mamma,  I  did  not  mind  the  pain,"  said 
Violetta. 

"  See  here," — and  as  she  spoke  Beatrice  emptied  a 
mother-of-pearl  shell  filled  with  cards, — "  would  you 
not  like  to  see  who  has  already  been  to  ask  after 
you  ?" 

"Ah,  every  one  is  so  kind,"  the  girl  said,  with  a  sigh. 
"  I  do  not  deserve  it  all.  You  will  not  forget,  mamma, 
to  say  that  I  am  convinced  that  the  machinist  was  not 
to  blame ;  it  was  all  my  own  awkwardness.  Please  re- 
member that  he  is  not  to  be  scolded." 

"His  Excellency  General  von  Treffenbach,"  the 
servant  announced  at  the  door. 

The  beautiful  woman's  face  flushed  slightly,  and 
there  were  traces  of  embarrassment  in  her  air.  She 
arose  and  went  into  the  music-room,  whei'e  in  the 
midst  of  the  chill  surroundings  the  general  stood 
erect  and  tall,  like  a  soldier  in  the  antechamber  of  his 
queen. 

He  did  not  raise  her  hand  to  his  lips,  he  bowed  very, 
very  low  over  it,  and  his  deep  voice  was  not  perfectly 
steady  as  he  asked,  in  words  that  were  perhaps  too 
measured,  for  tidings  of  Fräulein  Fouquet. 

"  The  poor  child  has  suffered  much,"  was  the  reply, 
"  but  now  she  is  more  comfortable.  She  slept  towards 
morning,  and  has  but  little  fever.  She  would  surely 
be  glad,  your  Excellency " 

"Can  I  see  her?" 

Madame  Fouquet  led  the  way  into  the  next  room. 
9* 


102  VIOLETTA 

He  entered,  bowed  to  Madame  Morton,  and  to  Sir 
George  with  courteous  ease,  but  in  the  latter  case  with 
the  air  of  a  superior  to  an  inferior ;  then  went  to  Vio- 
letta's  side,  and  took  her  hand  in  both  his.  "  My  poor 
little  child  !"  he  said. 

"Ah,  my  General  Montresor!"  Yioletta  exclaimed, 
eagerly.  "  I  always  forget  the  other  name,  and  that 
is  ungrateful  when  you  are  so  kind.  How  is  Mon- 
tresor ?  And  why  have  you  not  come  for  me  to  ride 
lately  ?" 

"  Never  mind,  my  child :  when  you  are  well  we  will 
make  up  for  lost  time." 

"  General  von  Treffenbach,"  said  Madame  Fouquet, 
"  I  pray  you  to  allow  me  to  make  you  acquainted  with 
my  oldest  and  kindest  friend,  Sir  George  O'Halloran." 

His  Excellency  bowed  rather  coldly.  The  conver- 
sation turned  for  ten  minutes  ujion  accidents  of  various 
kinds,  and  then  he  rose  to  go.  Beatrice  accompanied 
him  to  the  outer  door  of  the  music-room.  "  I  have 
not  yet  thanked  you,"  she  said,  smiling,  and  with  be- 
witching confusion ;  "  you  were  so  kind  yesterday 
evening." 

"  I  regret  most  deeply  that  the  first  occasion  upon 
which  I  have  been  able  to  be  of  some  slight  service  to 
you  should  have  been  so  sad  a  one." 

As  he  followed  these  formal  phrases  with  a  chivalric 
pressure  of  his  lips  upon  her  hand,  his  eyes,  those  eyes 
before  which  so  many  trembled,  spoke  an  ardent  lan- 
guage of  their  own. 

"  This  accident  will  prolong  your  stay  in  our  capi- 
tal?" he  said,  inquiringly. 

"  Of  course ;  for  six  weeks  at  least." 

"  I  condole  with  you,  madame,  but  I  must  congratu- 
late ourselves." 


GENERAL   MONTRESOR  103 

When  the  door  closed  after  him,  she  stood  beside  it 
liritening  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then,  seating  herself 
at  the  piano,  she  sang  a  low,  sweet  gondola-song. 

Sir  George  came  into  the  room  with  his  hands 
clasped  behind  him,  stationed  himself  at  the  back  of 
the  music-stool,  beat  time  with  the  tips  of  his  boots, 
and  wagged  his  bushy  head  from  side  to  side.  She 
interrupted  her  song,  let  her  hands  rest  upon  the  keys, 
and  turned  round  to  him,  her  large  eyes  sparkling, 
one  could  not  tell  whether  with  tears  or  with  merri- 
ment. 

"  Do  you  like  him  ?"  she  asked.     «  Eh  ?" 
"  Not  at  all,  madame,  if  it  pleases  you  to  hear  it." 
"  Oh,  I  do  not  care  very  much  either  way,  since  you 
cannot  marry  him."     She  laughed. 

"  I  wish  the  devil  had  flown  away  with  him  before 
you  had  contemplated  such  folly,  Beatrice !"  he  burst 
out,  angrily.  "  What  are  you  thinking  of?  Was  it  for 
this  that  I  dragged  you  forth  from  darkness  into  the 
light,  and  placed  the  crown  of  genius  on  your  head  ?  Is 
it  for  this  that  you  have  mounted  from  step  to  step  on 
your  victorious  way, — to  grasp  at  last,  as  the  final  prize, 
the  greatest  jewel — a  title?  Pitiable,  Madame  Fou- 
quet ;  degrading,  despicable !  Her  Excellency  Betty ! 
— admirable  indeed !  For  such  a  gewgaw  Beatrice 
Fouquet  lays  down  her  sceptre.  For  you  are  a  queen. 
You  reign  over  thousands.  You  can  inspire,  delight, 
refine,  touch,  convulse — where  shall  I  find  more 
words  ? — thousands.  You  can  scatter  blessings  every- 
where if  you  will  but  rightly  understand  your  mis- 
sion, and  allow  the  loftiest,  noblest  ideas  to  be  re- 
vealed through  you !  And  she  turns  her  back  upon 
all  these  to  be — an  Excellency!  But  it  is  no  busi- 
ness of  mine.     Why  should  I  excite  myself  ?     Pshaw  I 


104  VIOLETTA 

Do  it!  Go  on!  Forswear  yourself !  Deny  your  vo- 
cation 1  Exchange  Parnassus  for  the  kitchen  I  Have 
yourself  called  Tour  Excellency  a  hundred  times  daily 
by  servile  fools !  The  punishment  will  surely  come 
some  day,  and  you  will  moan  with  Esau.  Then  think 
of  me  and  of  my  warning." 

She  had  thus  far  sat  perfectly  motionless,  her  hands 
still  resting  on  the  keys.  She  now  looked  over  her 
shoulder  at  him  and  smiled.  "  I  like  too  well  to  hear 
you  talk  thus  to  interrupt  you,"  she  said  at  last. 
"  Now,  while  you  take  breath,  let  me  tell  you  that  if 
my  aims  had  been  as  despicable  as  you  suppose,  I 
might  long  since  have  had  the  pleasure  of  hanging 
that  jingling  bell  about  my  neck,  for  there  are  many 
who  have  thought  to  win  Beatrice  Fouquet  by  the 
glitter  of  a  title." 

"  And  if  it  be  not  rank  and  title  that  can  tempt  you 
to  descend  from  your  Olympus,"  he  asked,  mistrust- 
fully, "  tell  me  what  you  hope  to  gain, — wealth,  power, 
influence  ?" 

"  None  of  these.  The  reason  why  I  wish  to  become 
this  man's  wife  is  an  astounding  one.  You  can  never 
guess  it." 

"  So  it  seems.  Be  brief,  then,  I  beg  of  you,  and  en- 
lighten me." 

She  arose  now,  and  looked  calmly  at  her  eccentric 
friend.  "  I  love  him,"  she  said  with  a  simple  grace 
that  certainly  had  a  surprising  effect. 

Sir  George  said  nothing  at  first,  but  his  features 
worked  more  strangely  than  ever.  Suddenly  he  passed 
his  hand  across  his  eyes,  and  then  held  it  out  to  her. 
"  Forgive  me,"  he  said. 

"Ah,"  she  laughed,  "at  every  word  you  spoke  I 
said  to  myself,  'I  forgive  him  I'  " 


GENERAL   MONTRESOR  105 

Meanwhile,  General  Treffenbaeh  returned  to  his 
home,  where  he  found  his  son  at  luncheon. 

"  So  it  always  is,"  said  Magnus,  helping  himself  to 
a  sardine.  "  After  Arrain's  reproaching  me  so  bitterly 
of  late  for  my  hermit-like  seclusion,  I  wanted  to  en- 
joy your  society,  sir,  in  a  I'ide  to-day,  but  just  on  this 
special  morning  you  had  vanished  without  a  trace.  I 
rode  nearly  to  Charlottenburg  in  the  hope  of  finding 
you  somewhere,  for  Friedrich  told  me  you  had  walked 
out." 

The  general  devoted  all  his  energies  to  the  cutting 
of  a  delicate  slice  of  the  cold  chicken  before  him. 
"  Have  a  slice  of  this,  Magnus  ?  It  is  very  good.  And 
what  kind  of  a  ride  did  you  have  ?  Did  you  meet  any 
one  whom  you  knew  ?" 

"  Only  that  sallow  little  Princess,  who  was  driving 
with  her  son.  When  she  saw  me  she  beckoned  to 
me  to  stop,  and  asked  after  you ;  whereupon  her  son 
ventured  vipon  the  witty  remark  that  you  were  his 
mother's  '  chartered'  adorer.  They  both  said  a  great 
deal  that  was  flattering  about  Montresor,  declaring, 
however,  that  it  was  a  lady's  horse.  Of  course  I 
placed  her  at  her  Highness's  disposal." 

"  Your  evening  at  the  theatre  last  night  seems  to 
have  put  you  into  a  very  cheerful  humour,  my  dear 
Magnus,  although  there  was  very  little  reason  for  its 
doing  so." 

Treffenbaeh  looked  as  if  he  were  wondering  what 
his  father's  meaning  could  be.  At  last  he  said,  "  I 
think  it  always  makes  us  more  satisfied  to  acknowledge 
where  we  have  been  wrong.  I  have  reflected  upon 
Arrain's  reproof,  and  have  admitted  to  myself  that 
you  had  good  reason  to  complain  of  me.  You  shall 
not  have  to  coax  me  forth  from  my  study  again.     I 


106  VIOLETT  A 

will  gladly  go  with  you  wherever  you  desire.  For 
who  knows  when  we  shall  have  aniothcr  chance  of 
being  together  quietly  for  so  long  a  time  ?" 

His  Excellency  cast  a  searching  glance  at  his  son. 
"  I  hope,  my  dear  boy,  that  whatever  the  future  may 
bring  forth,  nothing  will  shake  your  confidence  in  me. 
or  alter  our  relations  towards  each  other." 

"  That  you  surely  cannot  doubt,  sir,"  his  son  re- 
joined in  some  surprise. 

Late  one  afternoon,  about  a  week  after  this,  it  oc- 
curred to  Magnus  that  his  father  had  spoken  of  pay- 
ing a  visit  at  the  Plattows'.  Perhaps  they  might  go 
together,  and  he  went  immediately  to  search  for 
him.  He  was  not  in  the  library  or  the  dining-room, 
but  through  the  open  door  of  the  drawing-room  his 
son  saw  him  standing  by  his  wife's  favourite  window. 
Lost  in  thought,  but  with  a  strange  intensity  in  his 
look,  as  if  watching  some  object  in  the  sky,  he  was 
gazing  out ;  one  hand  rested  upon  the  table, — that  table 
which  was  indissolubly  connected  in  Magnus's  mind 
with  his  mother's  presence, — and  as  he  watched  his 
father's  motionless  figure  he  too  stood  still.  He  could 
not  take  his  eyes  from  that  face,  so  full  of  manly  en- 
ero-y  and  resolution. 

"Father!"  he  said  at  last,  with  some  hesitaxion. 

As  if  startled  by  a  thunder-clap,  the  general  turned, 
passing  his  hand  as  he  did  so  over  the  surface  of  the 
table,  whence  several  photographs  fell  to  the  floor. 
Before  Magnus  could  reach  them  his  father  had  picked 
them  up  and  thrust  them  into  his  breast-pocket,  say- 
ing, "You  positively  startled  me.  What  is  the  mat- 
ter?" 

"  Excuse  my  abruptness.  I  only  wanted  to  ask  you 
whether  you  meant  to  go  to  the  Plattows'  to-day." 


GENERAL   MONTRESOR  107 

"Ah,  yes,  of  course.  Let  us  go  now;  you  are  quite 
right,  my  dear  boy." 

They  walked  along  together,  the  general  seeming 
rather  silent.  Once  he  paused  before  the  window  of 
a  picture-shop,  and  Magnus  naturally  followed  his  ex- 
ample. In  the  midst  of  many  pictures  and  photo- 
graphs was  the  likeness  of  a  young  girl  in  an  oval 
frame.  From  beneath  the  broad  brim  of  a  felt  hat  a 
face  looked  out  at  the  beholder  with  an  expression  of 
innocent  gayety.  The  large  eyes,  the  delicate  nose, 
the  arch  mouth,  the  indescribably  refined  outline  of 
the  head,  made  a  very  lovely  picture. 

A  crowd  was  constantly  before  this  window.  Tref- 
fenbach had  noticed  it  in  the  morning  without  caring 
to  discover  the  reason  why. 

His  Excellency,  however,  who  was  usually  wont  to 
hold  himself  aloof  from  all  contact  with  Hodge  and 
Hans,  stood  here  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  a  man  in 
a  blouse,  and  endured  with  great  equanimity  the  shov- 
ing and  pushing  of  a  fat  huckster-woman,  while  he 
seemed  to  take  a  certain  interest  in  the  comments  of 
the  throng. 

"  Poor  young  lassie,"  the  huckster  remarked ;  "  it's 
no  business  of  ours,  and  it  all  comes  of  being  one 
of  those  playerfolk,  but  indeed  I  can't  help  a  pityin' 
of  her.  Why,  she  bought  a  apple  of  me  once,  and  she 
asked  me  about  the  kids  at  home,  and  how  old  they 
were,  and  laughed  so  gay.  Ah,  she's  no  more  than  a 
child  herself." 

Treffenbach  grew  rather  impatient,  but  he  said  noth- 
ing. That  face  might  have  been  seen  for  some  time 
past,  taken  from  various  points  of  view,  in  photogra- 
phers' cases  and  picture-dealers'  shops.  He  had  noticed 
it   now  and  then,  without  ever  troubling  himself  to 


108  VIOLETTA 

inquire  whom  it  represented.  An  actress  probably,  or 
one  of  a  circus  troupe.  As  he  could  not  possibly  sup- 
pose that  it  was  this  picture  that  so  engaged  his  father's 
attention,  he  looked  about  for  some  military  or  hunt,- 
ing  piece,  but  could  see  nothing  of  the  kind. 

"  Come,"  said  the  general  at  last.  "  The  people 
crowd  so.     The  picture  is  very  like,  is  it  not  ?" 

"  What  picture  ?" 

"  The  little  Fouquet.  Good  heavens,  Magnus  I  you 
saw  her  at  the  Princess  Menardi's." 

"  I  think  not.  I  remember  now  that  I  only  heard 
her  mentioned.  In  fact,  I  do  not  know  who  she  is. 
Armin  sometimes  has  very  questionable  enthusiasms. 
There  was  a  certain  Mascha  at  St.  Petersburg  who 
pretended  to  be  a  countess,  but  who  was  in  reality  an 
adventuress  and  was  finally  prosecuted  by  law.  I  was 
obliged  to  use  all  the  eloquence  of  which  I  was  master 
to  prevent  him  from  losing  his  head  entirely.  I  should 
be  very  sorry  if  this  were  an  affair  of  the  same  kind. 
Fouquet, — Fouquet?  The  name  has  rather  a  disre- 
putable sound,  and  I  have  heard  it  continually  of  late. 
There's  something  wrong ;  that  fellow  never  will  learn 
wisdom." 

Absorbed  in  his  annoyance,  Magnus  had  not  even 
looked  at  his  father.  The  general  walked  on  beside 
him,  carrying  himself  as  proudly  and  with  features 
as  composed  as  ever,  but  his  colour  changed :  he  grew 
rather  pale. 

In  a  few  minutes,  however,  he  began  to  converse 
again,  and,  as  if  he  had  already  forgotten  the  subject 
last  mentioned,  replied  to  some  indifferent  remark  of 
his  son's,  and  led  the  talk  to  topics  of  general  interest. 
Before  Magnus  was  aware  of  it  he  found  himself  listen- 
ing to  a  long  lecture  from  his  father,  upon  the  tru© 


GENERAL  MONTRESOR  109 

chivalric  spirit,  upon  boasted  virtue,  prejudice,  and 
obstinate  adherence  to  old  predilections  with  regard 
to  rank  and  birth. 

He  spoke  objectively,  and  yet  Treffenbach  could 
almost  have  believed  that  his  father  intended  to  read 
him  a  sharp  lesson.  But  of  course  this  could  not  be 
so,  for  where,  pray,  was  the  need  ? 

As  they  ascended  the  broad  steps  of  the  hotel,  two 
ladies  clad  in  black  were  coming  down,  one  of  whom, 
whose  face  was  thickly  veiled,  was  of  a  notable  ele- 
gance of  figure  and  gait.  The  general  bowed  courte- 
ously, and  they  acknowledged  his  greeting  without 
pausing. 

"Who  was  that?"  asked  Treffenbach,  when  they 
had  passed  out  of  hearing.  "  I  did  not  know  that  we 
had  other  acquaintances  here  in  the  hotel." 

"  That  was — and  I  must  beg  you  to  excuse  me  for 
mentioning  the  name  again — that  was  Madame  Fou- 
quet  and  her  companion."  With  these  words  he  gave 
his  card  to  the  servant  who  stood  waiting  for  it. 

The  Plattows  were  not  alone.  The  Bellwitzes  were 
there,  and  Lieutenant  Schlacken  and  Count  Hess, 
also  the  old  Consistorial-rath,  who  seemed  to  take 
a  paternal  interest  in  Marie  Louise.  While  Rhona 
and  Schlacken  vied  with  each  other  in  descriptions 
of  the  latest  balls,  Fräulein  von  Plattow  conversed 
with  the  clerical  gentlemen  about  serious  matters, 
and  Count  Hess  sat  beside  them,  a  silent  but  at- 
tentive listener,  his  handsome  face,  with  the  drooping 
moustache,  fully  shown  in  the  light  of  a  lamp.  And 
while  Fräulein  von  Plattow  thought  within  herself 
that  next  to  Magnus  this  young  man  had  more  inter- 
est in  spiritual  affairs  than  any  other  whom  she  had 
ever  met,  he  on  his  part  was  delighting  in  her  honest 

10 


110  VIOL  ETTA 

devotion  to  truth,  in  the  gi-ave  sincerity  with  which 
she  spoke  of  her  faults,  in  the  conscientiousness  with 
which  she  was  trying  to  do  her  duty.  He  had  divined 
her  aright :  whatever  she  thought  she  said.  She  would 
have  thought  it  wrong  to  conceal  or  to  colour  an  opin- 
ion. She  was  transparent  as  crystal,  and  this  made 
the  problem  of  her  nature  all  the  more  inscrutable, 
and  all  the  more  did  the  question  besiege  him,  '  Is  she 
utterly  incapable  of  one  throb  of  feeling  ?' 

Oh,  yes !  Mario  Louise  was  capable  of  indignation. 
Only  toll  her  of  some  dishonest  transaction,  of  odious 
falsehood,  of  the  triumph  of  evil  over  Christian  prin- 
ciple, and  for  a  moment  her  check  would  flush  crimson, 
her  delicate  brows  would  contract,  and  she  would  ex- 
haust herself  in  indignant  protest.  Such  an  outburst 
of  righteous  anger  became  her  well,  but  would  not 
exclamations  of  joy  and  delight  have  become  her 
much  better? 

He  j)^izzled  his  brain  with  these  fruitless  specula- 
tions as  by  turns  she  amused,  irritated,  and  surprised 
him,  still  always  irresistibly  attracting  him  by  her 
cold  repose. 

Madame  Fouquet  had  been  obliged  to  leave  her 
daughter,  as  this  evening  she  sang  Margarethe,  with 
which  part  she  closed  her  present  engagement  in  the 
capital,  and  Sir  George  stationed  himself  beside  the 
girl's  couch  for  a  couple  of  hours.  All  the  tenderness 
of  his  nature  was  called  forth  by  the  sight  of  this  pa- 
tient sufferer,  who  had  so  lately  seemed  to  him  the 
very  embodiment  of  grace,  of  joy  in  existence.  He 
exhausted  himself  in  devices  for  her  amusement,  hor 
entertainment,  and  of  his  music  she  never  wearied. 
On  this  special  evening  it  appeared  that  the  immova- 


GENERAL   MONTRESOR  111 

ble  Madame  Morton  had  shown  herself  but  mortal 
after  all,  since  she  had  boldly  transgressed  her  rule  of 
silence,  and,  left  in  charge  of  the  invalid,  had  employed 
the  afternoon  in  detailing  wonderful  stories  of  the 
most  distinguished  personages  of  the  capital,  where,  as 
it  now  turned  out,  she  had  spent  some  time  many 
years  previously,  as  companion  to  an  old  countess, 
Yioletta  had  been  intensely  interested  in  learning 
that  her  General  Montresor,  as  she  called  him,  "  had  a 
wife.  Sir  George,  a  wife  who  was  so  good,  so  kind  to 
the  poor.  Madame  Morton  says  she  was  too  good  to 
live,  and  her  son  loved  her  so ;  the  son  is  living  now, 
but  the  dear  lady  is  dead.  Ah !  why  do  such  good 
people  always  die  ?" 

"  That,  little  one,  is  a  question  with  which  I  advise 
you  to  have  as  little  to  do  as  possible.  Your  general 
does  not  look  as  if  it  troubled  him  much." 

"  And  Baron  TrefFenbach — that  is  the  son's  name — 
is  sure  to  be  a  famous  man :  he  knows  so  much  al- 
ready, and  studies  all  the  time;  and  he  owes  all  that 
he  is  to  his  mother,  whom  I  am  sure  he  never  can 
forget.  I  hope  I  shall  see  him  some  day, — when  I  can 
di'ive  out  once  more.  Madame  Morton  says  he  is  very 
handsome,  and  I  think  he  must  be  like  the  Chevalier 
Bayard.  And  oh.  Sir  George, — how  could  I  forget  to 
tell  you  at  once  ? — I  have  so  good  a  piece  of  news  for 
you, — it  makes  me  forget  all  the  pain  I  have  had.  The 
doctor  says  I  can  never  be  a  dancer  now.  Some  weak- 
ness— I  can't  understand  what — there  will  always  be  in 
the  ankle,  and  so  there  is  an  end  of  that  horrible  pub- 
lic.   Ah,  you  can't  tell  how  happy  and  grateful  I  am  !" 

"  Your  tongue  trij)s  fast  enough,  little  one.  It  will 
make  up  for  your  feet.  God  bless  you,  child !  I'm 
grateful  too !" 


112  VIOLETTA 

CHAPTER    XI 

'love  is  lord  op  all' 

Two  full  months — March  and  April — are  gone,  and 
a  few  days  ago  May  celebrated  its  birthday  with 
wreaths  of  feathery  green  and  a  concert  from  tho 
throats  of  hundreds  of  birds. 

Madame  Fouquet  had  many  weeks  previously  ex- 
changed the  hotel  in  town  for  a  charming  little  villa 
among  blooming  gardens  and  shady,  frequented  roads. 
She  had  done  this  as  soon  as  Violetta's  ankle  was  in  a 
condition  to  allow  of  her  being  moved.  Then  several 
weeks  had  elapsed  of  patient  lying  on  the  couch  until 
the  first  attempts  at  walking  could  be  made ;  but  on 
this  delicious  May  day,  when  all  nature  was  bathed  in 
glittering  splendour,  refreshed  by  the  warm  rain  that 
had  fallen  in  the  night,  the  girl  was  sauntering  lightly, 
although  still  carefully,  through  the  garden  and  up 
the  steps  of  the  veranda,  her  arms  filled  with  narcis- 
sus flowers.  She  wore  a  soft  white  gown  with  pink 
ribbons.  Her  broad  white  hat  hung  upon  her  arm ; 
her  curls  were  tossed  about  her  forehead  and  glo"wing 
cheeks,  and  her  eyes  were  sparkling. 

Madame  Fouquet,  a  book  in  her  hand,  was  leaning 
back  in  a  low  arm-chair  in  the  shadiest  corner  of  the 
hall,  which  was  closed  in  with  glass  and  wreathed  all 
about  with  trailing  plants  and  vines.  Beside  her  was 
her  table  with  its  vase  of  flowers  and  a  basket  of 
fancy-work,  and  Tom  was  on  his  gilded  perch  near  by, 
muttering  his  displeasure  at  the  flitting  swallows  out- 


'LOVE  IS  LORD   OF  ALL'  113 

side  as  they  noAV  and  then  alighted  on  the  window- 
sills. 

"  How  warm  you  are,  Violetta!"  said  Madame  Fou- 
quet,  looking  up.  "  Don't  you  know  that  you  ought 
to  avoid  any  unusual  exertion  ?" 

"  But  not  unusual  enjoj^ment,  mamma.  Look  at 
these  lovely  flowers.  The  woman  whose  children  I 
sent  the  apples  to  last  winter  gave  them  to  me.  She 
was  going  by  the  grated  gate  at  the  bottom  of  the 
garden  with  a  huge  basket  of  flowers,  and  when  she 
saw  me  she  clapped  her  hands  and  laughed.  Unfor- 
tunately, I  could  not  understand  all  she  said,  but  she 
was  very  kind,  and  gave  me  all  these.  Oh,  dear !  my 
German  lessons  do  not  seem  to  have  taught  me  all 
they  should  have  done.  I  must  look  in  the  dictionary 
for  '  hopping,' — she  said  there  must  be  an  end  of  that. 
It's  another  word  I  never  have  seen  or  heard  before." 
And  "Violetta  sat  down  in  a  low  chair  and  began  to 
arrange  her  flowers. 

Madame  Beatrice  was  apparently  absorbed  in  her 
novel,  but  any  one  observing  her  closely  might  have 
noticed  that  her  eyes  frequently  wandered  from  its 
pages  and  were  fixed  on  space,  with  what  looked 
something  like  expectation.  Beatrice  was  not  of 
those  who,  on  a  day  like  the  present,  dreamily  gaze 
up  into  the  budding  chestnuts  or  the  blue  skies  with 
vague  emotions  of  delight.  When  she  lost  herself 
in  musing  she  looked  out  into  the  shady  road,  for  hu- 
man beings  are  surely  more  interesting  than  chestnut- 
buds. 

"  What  day  of  the  month  is  it,  Violetta  ?" 

"  The  ninth  of  May,  mamma." 

"Ah,  I  thought  so." 

"What  a  long,  long  time  wo  have  been  here  in  Bor- 
h  10* 


114  VIOL  ETTA 

lin !"  said  the  girl ;  "  to  me  it  seems  years.  Are  wo 
going  from  here  to  Milan,  or  to  Vienna?" 

"  Do  you  want  to  go  away  from  here  ?" 

"  No,  mamma ;  I  should  not  like  to  leave  my  poor 
little  children  whom  Sir  George  has  done  so  much  for, 
and  then  every  one  has  been  kind  to  us,  although  lately 
we  have  lived  here  so  quietly.  One  thing  surprises  me. 
At  first  General  von  TreflPenbach  was  the  kindest  to 
me  of  all.  He  came  every  day,  and  sent  me  flowers 
and  bonbons,  and  even  toys,  as  if  I  were  a  little  child. 
I  cared  a  great  deal  for  him.  And  then  suddenly  he 
stopped  coming.  Why  was  it,  mamma?  Do  you 
know  ?" 

Beatrice  smiled  and  fanned  herself.  "  Perhaps  I 
sent  him  away,  my  child." 

"  Oh !"  Violetta  whispered,  looking  reflectively  at 
her  mother.  "  I  once  overheard  Carolina  say  that 
you  were  going  to  marry  him." 

"  Marriage  is  a  serious  matter,  little  one,  and  needs 
grave  consideration."  This  she  said  in  a  motherly 
tone,  and  then  she  began  to  laugh.  "  This  is  the  ninth 
of  May,  child.  Should  you  like  to  drive  to  town  to  see 
your  little  protegees  with  Madame  Morton  ?" 

"Oh,  mamma!"  Violetta  exclaimed,  delighted,  for 
such  an  indulgence  was  rare.  Beatrice  Fouquet  did 
not  regard  her  daughter's  philanthropic  tastes  with 
much  favour,  but  since  Sir  George  had  interested  him- 
self in  having  the  poorest  and  most  neglected  of  Vio- 
letta's  beneficiaries — some  small  orphans — well  clothed 
and  placed  under  the  care  of  a  worthy  woman, — a  Frau 
Forstmann,  the  widow  of  a  former  business  agent  of 
Sir  George's, — Madame  Fouquet  had  consented  that 
Violetta  should  visit  them  from  time  to  time. 

Violetta  was  supremely  happy.     She  hurried  into 


'LOVE  IS  LORD   OF  ALL'  115 

the  drawing-room, — an  attractive  little  retreat,  with 
flowered  chintz  hangings  and  furniture  that  gave  it  a 
very  summer-like  air.  Here  Madame  Morton  was  en- 
sconced with  her  crochet,  and  to  her  the  charming 
plan  was  immediately  unfolded.  The  carriage  was 
ordered,  and  as  soon  as  lunch  was  over  they  started 
upon  their  expedition. 

Fortunately,  as  Violetta  thought,  her  sedate  com- 
panion had  so  many  commissions  to  fulfil  for  Madame 
Fouquet,  that  when  the  carriage  drove  off,  leaving  the 
girl  at  the  neat  little  dwelling  where  Sir  George  had 
established  her  favourites,  a  long,  undisturbed  after- 
noon was  in  prospect.  But  after  her  gifts  had  been 
distributed,  and  a  small  Hans  had  displayed  his  new 
accomplishments  in  the  way  of  reading  and  writing, 
and  the  little  girls  had  shown  their  patchwork,  and  all 
had  listened  entranced  to  their  pretty  lady's  beautiful 
stories,  Violetta  was  seized  with  a  sudden  desire  to 
carry  some  flowers  she  had  brought  with  her  to  an 
invalid  niece  of  Carolina's  to  whom  she  had  shown 
many  an  act  of  kindness.  She  silenced  Frau  Forst- 
mann's  remonstrances  by  assuring  her  that  the  girl's 
home  was  but  a  very  short  distance  away,  and  that 
she  would  return  immediately,  after  which  she  set  off, 
nothing  doubting.  She  had  forgotten  the  intricate 
plan  of  the  streets  in  this  portion  of  the  capital,  and,  to 
her  dismay,  soon  became  confused  and  finally  utterly 
bewildered.  She  grew  anxious  and  tried  to  ask  her 
way,  but  whether  she  was  misunderstood,  or  whether 
she  did  not  rightly  comprehend  the  directions  given  to 
her,  each  step  that  she  took  seemed  but  to  carry  her 
to  regions  more  and  more  unfamiliar  to  her.  In  her 
anxiety  she  hardly  noticed  at  first  that  her  foot,  still 
unused   to  such  exertion,  began   to  pain   her.      Sho 


116  VIOL  ETTA 

had  reached  a  rather  dim  street,  where  there  were  few 
passers-by  and  still  fewer  vehieles.  Strugi^^üng  with 
the  pain  and  a  strong  desire  to  cry,  she  drew  her  veil 
more  tightly  across  her  burning  cheeks,  and  was  look- 
ing for  the  name  of  the  street,  when  her  ankle  sud- 
denly gave  way.  Supporting  herself  against  a  railing, 
she  gazed  around  her  in  despair,  and  saw  directly  op- 
posite, on  the  other  side  of  the  street,  the  open  door  of 
a  church.  If  she  could  enter  there  and  rest  awhile, 
the  pain  and  weakness  might  pass  away.  She  crossed 
the  street,  leaning  upon  her  parasol,  dragged  herself 
up  the  steps,  and  sought  shelter  within  the  vener- 
able gray  walls,  as  a  wounded  bird  flies  to  a  protecting 
hedge.  How  cool  and  quiet  it  was  hei-e !  Through 
the  tall,  narrow  windows  a  dim  light  penetrated  the 
interior,  showing  the  majestic  pillars  that  sustained 
the  vaulted  roof.  Yioletta  gazed  dreamily  about  her. 
She  had  never  before  been  inside  of  a  Protestant  place 
of  worship,  and  there  was  something  inexpressibly 
soothing  and  awe-inspiring  in  the  quiet,  unadorned 
grandeur  of  the  gray  old  pile.  Suddenly  the  entire 
church  began  slowly  to  turn  about  her,  the  outlines 
of  pillar,  arch,  and  vaulted  roof  grew  vague  and  in- 
distinct, lovely,  gentle  tones  were  wafted  down  from 
the  mighty  organ,  seeming  to  wrap  her  round  as  in  a 
soft  veil,  and  she  fainted. 

A  sharp  pang  restored  her  to  consciousness.  She 
opened  her  eyes  and  tried  to  collect  her  thoughts. 
Good  heavens,  where  was  she?  In  the  glimmering 
twilight  of  a  church !  Some  one  bending  over  her 
had  tried  to  lift  her  up,  and  had  caused  the  pain  that 
had  roused  her.  Yioletta  had  no  fear  of  strangers, 
least  of  all  of  one  offering  aid  in  her  forlorn  con- 
dition. 


>L,OVE  IS  LORD   OF  ALL'  117 

"  Are  you  ill,  my  child  ?"  the  stranger  asked.  Sho 
could  not  answer  immediately,  her  brain  was  still  con- 
fused, but  at  last  she  arrived  at  a  clear  consciousness 
that  Madame  Morton  would  be  waiting. 

"  Oh,  what  o'clock  is  it  ?"  she  exclaimed. 

The  stranger  took  out  his  watch  and  made  it  repeat, 
for  it  had  grown  too  dark  in  the  church  to  see  the 
time  by  it.  The  watch  struck  half-past  six.  He  re- 
peated his  question,  "  Are  you  ill  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,  not  ill,"  Violetta  murmured,  still  confused. 
"  But  my  foot " 

"  Try  to  stand.  I  will  lift  you  up.  So !  Ah,  it 
was  a  fortunate  thing  that  I  happened  to  come  into 
the  church.  You  might  otherwise  have  been  locked 
up  here." 

She  scarcely  heard  what  he  said.  She  stood  leaning 
against  him,  dizz}^,  trembling,  and  entirely  unable  to 
use  her  foot.  "  Oh,  I  cannot !"  she  said,  looking  up 
into  a  grave,  manly  face  and  thoughtful  eyes  bent  upon 
her  in  serious  deliberation. 

"What  is  to  be  done?"  he  said,  more  to  himself 
than  to  her.     "  Can  I  get  a  carriage?" 

"  Oh,  do  not  go  away!"  Violetta  entreated.  "  I  will 
do  whatever  you  say,  only  do  not  leave  me  alone." 

«  What  shall  I  do,  my  poor  little  child  ?" 

"  Carry  me.     They  say  I  am  as  light  as  a  feather." 

He  silently  lifted  her  in  his  arms,  with  just  the 
shadow  of  a  smile  on  the  grave  face,  now  so  near  her 
own. 

"  They  are  quite  right,"  he  said,  as  he  walked 
through  the  church  with  his  light  burden.  "  You  do 
not  weigh  more  than  a  little  fawn.  And  whither 
now  ?"  as  they  emerged  into  the  darkening  streets. 

"  Madame  Mcrton  and  the  carriage  were  to  be  at 


118  VIOLETTA 

36  Johanns-strasse.  Oh,  what  will  she  say,  and  will 
she  be  there  still  ?" 

"  It  is  not  far,  and  I  can  get  there  in  a  few  moments 
by  side-streets.  Put  your  arm  about  my  neck ;  it  will 
be  easier  for  you." 

He  gave  this  direction  in  so  business-like  a  tone  that 
she  obeyed  him  as  she  would  have  obeyed  a  doctor's 
command,  saying,  with  a  sigh,  "  Thank  you,  you  are 
very  kind." 

In  her  first  terror,  on  recovering  her  consciousness, 
she  had  pushed  aside  her  veil,  but  now  it  had  fallen 
over  her  face  again.  Her  protector,  however,  seemed 
not  at  all  curious  to  scan  the  features  of  this  pretty 
child.  He  looked  like  a  man  anxious  to  fulfil  an  evi- 
dent duty,  but  feeling  no  further  interest  in  the  matter. 
He  asked  no  more  questions.  He  knew  where  to  take 
her,  and  that  was  enough. 

A  crowd  of  workmen  coming  along  one  of  the 
narrowest  streets  barred  the  way  for  a  moment,  and 
seemed  inclined  to  be  insolent.  The  face  of  her  pro- 
tector grew  stern  and  haughty,  but  as  he  turned  to 
reassure  the  child  in  his  arms,  thinking  she  would  be 
terrified,  to  his  surprise  she  raised  her  head,  and  in  a 
fearless  and  indignant  tone  exclaimed,  "  For  shame ! 
for  shame  I  Let  this  kind  gentleman  pass.  He  has 
trouble  enough  with  carrying  me !"  And  the  men 
silently  made  way. 

This  seemed  to  arouse  her  new  friend's  interest. 
"  You  are  a  brave  little  girl,"  he  said,  kindly. 

"Brave?  Ah,  no  one  calls  me  that.  I  surely  have  no 
need  for  bravery  so  long  as  you  are  taking  care  of  me." 

"  I  ?  Who  am  I  ?  For  you  I  am  no  one.  How  do 
you  know  that  I  mean  well  by  you  and  will  carry 
you  where  you  wish  to  go  ?" 


'LOVE  IS  LORD   OF  ALL'  119 

"  Oh,  I  am  quite  sure." 

"  But  why  ?" 

"You  were  in  the  church,"  Violetta  replied,  8implj\ 

"You  are  right!"  he  rejoined,  evidently  impressed, 
and  he  walked  on  in  silence,  until,  upon  turning  a 
corner,  Violetta  exclaimed,  with  a  sigh  of  unspeakable 
relief,  "Ah,  there  is  the  carriage!" 

All  honour  to  Madame  Morton's  inflexible  calm.  In 
spite  of  the  anxiety  and  uncertainty  of  the  last  hour, 
there  she  sat,  grave  disapproval,  to  be  sure,  on  her 
features,  but  determined  to  wait  until  Yioletta  should 
appear.  They  should  have  been  at  home  at  seven  ;  it 
was  past  that  hour  now,  but  excitement  and  agitation 
would  have  been  useless,  and  consequently  they  were 
not  brought  into  play. 

Her  noble  composure  was  richly  rewarded,  for  there 
came  the  truant,  not  upon  her  own  feet,  but,  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  passers-by,  carried  in  the  arms  of 
a  distinguished-looking  stranger.  Madame  Morton  in- 
stantly divined  whj^  this  was  so :  the  child  had  over- 
exerted herself,  and  her  ankle  had  refused  its  support. 
Madame  Fouquet's  daughter  would  never  be  prudent, 
but  that  Madame's  companion  could  not  help. 

The  stranger  placed  Yioletta  in  the  carriage,  and 
bowed  to  the  other  lady.  "  I  am  very  sorry,"  he  said, 
"  but  this  poor  child  has  met  with  an  accident." 

"So  I  see,"  the  lady  remarked.  "Her  foot,  I  sup- 
pose.    We  are  greatly  indebted  to  you,  sir." 

"  Yes,  yes !"  exclaimed  Yioletta.  "  Oh,  sir,  how  can 
I  thank  you?" 

The  stranger  did  not  respond  to  her  warm  expression 
of  gratitude ;  he  only  bowed,  uttered  a  few  courteous 
words  of  farewell,  lifted  his  hat,  and  was  gone,  as  the 
impatient  horses  trotted  swiftly  towards  home. 


120  VIOLETTA 

"  Oh,"  siglicd  Violctta,  "  how  anxious  mamma  will 
be!" 

Had  Beatrice  Fouquct  been  anxious  ? 

After  Violetta  had  left  her,  she  went  out  on  the 
veranda  again  and  took  up  her  book,  but  she  could 
not  fix  her  attention ;  her  eyes  wandered  towards  the 
road ;  she  became  possessed  by  a  nervous  impatience. 
The  afternoon  shadows  lengthened  on  the  little  lawn. 
The  birds  ceased  to  flit  restlessly  hither  and  thither, 
and  sang  softly  among  the  trees. 

Beatrice  looked  at  her  watch,  and  her  eyes  flashed 
angrily.  "  It  was  a  pretence,  then,"  she  murmured. 
*'  This  they  call  persistence !  Ah,  put  them  to  the 
test,  ask  for  patience,  endurance,  fidelity.  "What 
other  would  have  submitted  to  such  banishment? 
And  yet  I  was  so  proud  that  he  went  and  did  not 
return.  I  felt  sure  then  that  my  heart  would  triumph 
over  what  Sir  George  calls  my  mission.  Folly !  folly ! 
I  will  leave  to-morrow;  this  city  shall  know  me  no 
more !" 

She  started  up,  hurried  into  the  drawing-room,  and 
rang  the  bell.    Carolina  must  begin  packing  instantly. 

Suddenly  she  hesitated  and  listened ;  then,  going 
to  the  window,  she  looked  out  at  all  of  the  garden- 
path  that  could  be  seen  through  the  vines  of  the  ve- 
randa. 

A  burning  blush  dyed  her  cheeks ;  she  held  back 
the  curtain  with  one  hand  and  laughed, — anger,  scorn, 
disappointment,  all  forgotten. 

A  tall,  distinguished-looking  man  in  uniform  ascended 
the  veranda  steps.  He  looked  about  him,  uncertain 
whether  to  pass  into  the  house  through  the  open  door 
or  to  search  for  a  bell.  His  face  was  pale,  and  showed 
signs  of  agitation ;  the  large,  keen  eyes  sparkled  with 


A   RF.VELATION  121 

expectation,  while  the  lips  were  compressed,  as  if  in 
memory  of  struggle  and  resolve. 

And  Beatrice  Fouquet  loved  this  man  with  the  en- 
tire energy  of  her  mercurial  nature.  Eight  weeks  of 
reflection,  of  separation,  had  only  served  to  make  her 
blind  and  deaf  to  the  promptings  of  reason. 

He  stood  in  the  door-way  looking  at  her,  and  she 
came  towards  him,  joy  and  triumph  beaming  in  her 
eyes.  She  placed  both  her  hands  in  his,  looked  up  at 
him  with  an  enchanting  smile,  and  said,  "  Poor  man  I 
your  reprieve  is  at  an  end,  and  you  come  with  heroic 
promptitude  to  enter  upon  a  lifelong  servitude." 

He  carried  her  hands  to  his  lips,  and  whispered  with 
a  profound  sigh,  "  Ah,  enchantress,  you  knew  that  I 
counted  the  days !" 

She  looked  at  him,  smiled,  and  rejoined,  "And  I 
counted  them  too." 

And  thus  it  happened  that  a  proud,  ambitious,  ex- 
perienced man  of  the  world  laid  his  name,  his  title, 
his  ambition,  his  career,  at  the  feet  of  a  Beatrice 
Fouquet  1 


CHAPTER    XII 


A   REVELATION 


Fräulein  Emma  had  just  had  the  coffee-urn  placed 
upon  the  breakfast-table ;  she  looked  at  the  clock, — 
eight  o'clock  all  but  five  minutes.  She  knew  very 
well  that  as  the  hour  was  striking  the  Herr  Attache 
would  enter,  and  about  ten  minutes  later  his  Excellency 
would  make  his  appearance. 
F  11 


122  VIOLETTA 

The  brilliant  morning  sunshine  lay  broad  on  the 
floor  of  the  pleasant  apartment,  and  gilded  the  coat 
of  arms  carved  above  the  mantel-piece.  Through  the 
open  folding-doors  could  be  seen  the  drawing-room, 
where,  upon  the  little  table  of  the  general's  late  wife, 
near  the  window,  stood  a  large  dish  filled  with  fresh 
monthly  roses,  and  wreaths  of  evergreen  were  twined 
about  the  two  portraits  on  the  wall  of  the  mastei 
of  the  house  and  its  gentle  mistress,  taken  many 
years  ago. 

Fräulein  Emma  sighed  as  she  contemplated  her 
thoughtful  memorials  of  the  day,  and  knotted  beneath 
her  chin  a  new  black  lace  kerchief. 

The  clock  struck  eight,  and  at  the  same  instant  the 
son  of  the  house  entered  the  room.  He  and  Fräulein 
Emma  were  wont  simply  to  exchange  a  '  good-morn- 
ing,' but  to-day  he  held  out  his  hand  to  her.  His 
glance  had  fallen  upon  the  pictures  in  the  drawing- 
room. 

"  Ah,  Baron  Magnus,"  sighed  the  Fräulein,  "  if  she 
had  but  lived  until  to-day  what  a  happy  celebration 
there  would  have  been  !  How  she  would  have  enjoyed 
passing  her  wedding-day  in  the  midst  of  her  nearest 
and  dearest!  And  Fräulein  Marie  Louise  would  have 
brought  her  a  basket  of  roses,  and  you  might  have 
been  married  on  this  very  day.  Baron  Magnus." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  he  said,  with  a  sigh. 

"  Ah,  how  melancholy  it  is  to  reflect  that  it  is  the 
best  among  us  who  are  called  away, — those  who  might 
bestow  such  blessings  by  living  !" 

"  Such  women  as  my  mother,"  he  replied,  gravely, 
*'  continue  to  bestow  blessings  even  after  they  have 
left  us  ;  their  works  survive  them,  their  memory  lives 
on.    Even  here  in  this  house," — he  looked  around  him, 


A   REVELATION  123 

and  a  tender  expression  crept  over  Lis  stern  dark  face, 
— "  even  here  it  is  as  if  her  spirit  were  still  present. 
At  first  the  house  seemed  utterly  desolate  to  me,  but 
now  I  have  learned  to  look  for  her  here,  and  to  find 
her.  Often  when  I  sit  at  my  books  I  fancy  I  feel 
her  hand  uj)on  my  shoulder  and  can  hear  her  gentle 
voice." 

"  Ah,  yes  ;  how  gently  she  always  came  in  with 
that  sweet  smile.  Baron  Magnus,  and  would  arrange 
a  flower  here  and  there,  and  change  the  place  of  a 
book !  When  she  left  the  room  she  seemed  to  have 
made  it  look  pleasanter.  Oh,  dear!  and  on  this,  her 
wedding-day,  she  was  always  kinder  than  ever." 

The  door  opened,  and  his  Excellency  appeared  upon 
the  threshold.  "  Good-morning,  Magnus.  "Well,  my 
dear  Emma,  what  has  happened  to  bring  tears  again 
to  your  eyes  ?  Have  you  been  quarrelling  with  my 
son?" 

"  Ah,  your  Excellency,  forgive  me.  I  took  the 
liberty  on  this  special  day " 

"  Special  day  ?"  he  asked,  surprised.  A  proud  smile 
lit  up  his  features.  "Upon  this  special  day  I  see 
no  cause  for  tears,  and  I  beg  for  cheerful  faces  and 
cordial  good  wishes.  But,  first  of  all,  a  cup  of 
coffee." 

The  other  two  looked  at  each  other  as  if  trying 
to  discover  the  reason  for  this  cheerful  mood  upon  a 
day  which  might  well  have  been  for  the  general  one 
of  the  saddest  of  the  year.  "Was  it  possible  that  he 
had  forgotten  what  day  it  was  ? 

A  keen  pang,  the  foreboding  of  coming  pain,  shot 
through  his  son's  soul  as  he  glanced  at  his  father's 
soldierly,  untroubled  face.  He  did  not  look  like  a 
mourning  widower  on   the   first  lonely  anniversary 


]  24  VIOLETTA 

of  his  marriage,  but  rather  like  the  crowned  victor  in 
some  martial  game. 

The  conversation  turned  upon  various  subjects. 
The  general  asked  if  Magnus  had  heard  lately  from 
Marie  Louise,  who  had  returned  several  weeks  before 
with  her  grandparents  to  Ravenhorst,  the  doctors 
having  pronounced  the  old  Herr's  eyes  to  be  in  a  fair 
way  of  recovery.  Marie  Louise  kept  up  a  regular 
correspondence  with  her  betrothed.  Unwilling  as 
she  had  been  to  come  to  Berlin,  she  had  left  it  quite 
as  unwillingly,  for  she  had  found  there  much  that  in- 
terested her  extremely.  Constant  intellectual  inter- 
course with  learned,  clever  men,  the  variety  of  human 
interests  brought  into  daily  play,  the  struggle  of  light 
with  darkness  in  the  higher  regions  of  civilization,  all 
these  she  missed  in  the  monotonous  repose  of  rural 
seclusion. 

Count  Hess  also  had  left  Berlin  for  Brussels  some 
time  previously.  He  had  never  been  much  of  a  cor- 
respondent, but  Magnus  thought  that  he  had  never 
known  him  so  disinclined  to  write  as  at  present.  He 
had  in  fact  received  but  one  letter  from  him,  that  in 
which  he  announced  his  safe  arrival. 

These  matters  were  discussed,  and  yet  none  of  the 
three  persons  at  table  were  really  interested.  Fräu- 
lein Emma  had  given  up  all  hope  that  her  revered 
general  would  of  himself  remember  that  twenty-eight 
years  ago  he  had  stood  before  the  marriage  altar. 
She  did  so  in  his  stead,  and  gave  herself  up  to  memo- 
ries of  the  departed.  Magnus  was  unaccountably  an- 
noyed by  his  father's  calm  cheerfulness,  and,  ah,  she 
was  no  longer  here  to  play  the  part  of  mediator,  to  put 
the  best  construction  upon  everything,  ready  always 
to  explain  to  the  son  why  the  father  acted  thus  and  so  I 


A   REVELATION  125 

Breakfast  was  over  much  more  quickly  than  usual. 
The  servant  entered,  cleared  the  table,  and  laid  the 
morning's  mail  before  his  master.  Fräulein  Emma 
took  up  her  basket  of  keys  and  left  the  room,  for  the 
general  was  wont  to  indulge  in  a  cigar  while  he  read 
the  morning  papers.  But  on  this  morning  they  were 
not  unfolded.  His  Excellency  drummed  a  march  with 
his  fingers  on  the  table,  and  gazed  absently  out  of  the 
window. 

"  Cast  a  glance  at  those  flowers  and  wreaths,  my 
dear  father,"  Magnus  said  at  last,  pointing  through 
the  drawing-room  door.  "  Emma  has  taken  so  much 
pains  to  show  you  her  regard." 

The  look  which  his  Excellency  now  cast  upon  the 
flowers  and  the  portraits  was  so  puzzled,  that  it  would 
evidently  have  been  as  well  to  enlighten  him  by  hang- 
ing up  a  curtain  of  crape. 

"  Ah,  indeed  ?  indeed  ?      Magnus,  my  boy,  what  I 

wanted  to  say  was Friedrich  has  gone,  I  believe  ? 

You  will  be  surprised ;  you  will  be  astounded " 

"  Hardly,  after  this  introduction,"  the  young  man 
rejoined,  with  a  smile.  "  Have  you  obtained  for  me  a 
special  mission  to  Pekin  ?  or  have  you  been  made  gen- 
eral field-marshal  ?" 

The  general's  laugh  sounded  forced.  "  No,  no,  noth- 
ing in  that  line.  But  can  you  not  guess,  my  boy? 
Have  you  observed  nothing  ?" 

"  Nothing." 

"  Dear  me ;  you  certainly  would  have  made  but  a 
poor  affair  of  diplomacy ;  it  is  well  you  relinquished 
that  career.  "Well,  then,  Magnus,  have  you  never  con- 
templated the  possibility  of  my — marrying  again  ?" 

Magnus  started  up  as  if  he  had  been  shot.  His 
Excellency  also  arose.     They  confronted  each  other 

11* 


126  VIOLETT  A 

mute  and  pale.  The  general  passed  his  handkerchief 
across  his  forehead ;  it  had  cost  him  an  heroic  effort  to 
pronounce  these  last  words.  For  his  son's  face  wore 
an  expression  of  horror,  not  very  encouraging  in  a 
position  which  at  the  best  is  rather  unnatural, — con- 
fessions of  this  sort  being  usually  made  by  sons  to 
fathers. 

"  Forgive  me,  sir,  I  did  not  quite  understand,"  Tref- 
fenbach said  at  last,  in  a  low  voice,  trying  to  collect 
himself,  as  his  look  wandered  to  the  gentle  face  of  the 
wreathed  portrait  hanging  beside  his  father's. 

"My  dear  boy,  what  is  there  so  extraordinary  in 
the  matter  ?  Am  I  so  aged  as  to  have  done  with  life  ?" 
And  as  the  general  spoke,  he  glanced  towards  a  mirror 
that  reflected  his  athletic  figure,  his  resolute  soldierly 
features,  and  smiled.  Then  he  looked  again  at  his  son, 
and  was  startled  by  the  intense  pallor  of  the  cold,  grave 
face.  "  Good  heavens,  Magnus !  You're  not  going  to 
faint  ?" 

"  Do  not  be  afraid ;  I  shall  not  faint.  A  slight  ver- 
tigo,— nothing  more.  And  is  it  to  be  wondered  at  ?  It 
cannot  be  true, — no,  it  cannot.  And  on  this  day  of  all 
others !" 

"  I  cannot  understand  why  you  dwell  so  persistently 
upon  this  special  day,"  his  Excellency  interrupted  him, 
impatiently. 

Again  Magnus  looked  towards  the  picture  of  the 
mother  who  had  been  little  more  than  eight  months 
in  the  grave.  "And  who  is  it?"  he  asked,  mechani- 
cally. 

At  last  the  general  seemed  to  comprehend.  He 
changed  colour,  and  his  eyes  grew  haughty  and  defi- 
ant. "  Who  is  it  ?  Magnus,  you  aggravate  the  diffi- 
culties of  ray  position  in  a  way  I  had  not  anticipated. 


A   REVELATION  127 

I  cannot  tell  you  all  on  the  instant.  Heaven  knows 
what  might  be  the  consequences  for  you.  You  had 
better  come  with  me,  and  I  will  conduct  you  to  her, — 
let  her  speak  for  hei'self  A  ride  will  refresh  your 
overwrought  nerves."  And  his  Excellency  rang  and 
ordered  the  horses.  Then,  without  another  word  to 
his  son,  he  went  to  his  own  room. 

Here  he  laid  his  gloves  and  riding-whip  on  the  table, 
and  then  went  to  his  desk,  opened  a  drawer,  and  took 
therefrom  two  photographs  in  standing  frames.  One 
was  a  picture  of  Beatrice  Fouquct  in  a  street  costume ; 
in  the  other  her  head  alone  had  been  taken.  The  pic- 
tures had  a  right  now  to  stand  here,  and  they  looked 
quite  in  place  between  the  bronze  statuettes  of  the 
great  Frederick  and  of  Marshal  Blücher,  which  adorned 
the  top  of  the  desk.  His  Excellency  stood  rapt  in  con- 
templation of  them,  until  the  servant  announced  that 
the  horses  were  ready,  and  then  he  sent  to  tell  his  son 
that  he  was  waiting  for  him. 

Treffenbach  obeyed  the  summons  like  a  man  in  a 
dream.  The  announcement  had  stunned  him.  He 
could  not  grasj)  its  meaning.  In  vain  he  tried  to  con- 
vince himself  that  his  father  was  justified  in  taking 
such  a  step.  It  seemed  to  him  that  the  peace  of  this 
household,  the  sacred  memory  of  the  departed,  was 
being  desecrated,  brutally  desecrated. 

They  rode  along  side  by  side,  and  Montresor  cur- 
vetted and  pranced  beneath  her  rider,  friends  bowed, 
and  carriages  rolled  past,  but  Magnus  felt  as  if  his 
veins  were  filled  with  lead. 

"Let  me  say  one  word  in  explanation,"  the  gen- 
eral said,  quietly,  at  last.  "  Since  you  have  observed 
nothing,  the  intelligence  must  of  course  have  sur- 
prised you,  and  very  naturally.     You  have  also  heard 


128  VIOLETTA 

nothing  of  the  idle  gossip  that  has  been  current 
in  the  town.  There  are  many  ill-natured  people, 
who  are  only  too  glad  to  drag  what  is  noble  in  the 
dust  just  because  it  stands  high,  and  to  destroy  what 
is  beautiful  just  because  it  is  beautiful,  and  their  ma- 
licious talk  is  sure  to  produce  some  effect.  Therefore 
I  am  glad  to  have  you  see  her  first  with  an  entirely 
unprejudiced  mind,  which  will  acknowledge  that  she 
upon  whom  your  father  proposes  to  bestow  his  name 
is  worthy  of  a  still  higher  position." 

"  Of  course,"  said  Magnus ;  "  can  there  be  any 
question  in  the  matter?" 

"  In  some  minds  there  is.  She  brings  no  coronet,  no 
heraldic  device  to  quarter  with  our  scutcheon,  and  her 

social  position I  have  received  intimations  that 

this  mai'riage  would  not  be  regarded  favourably  by 
those  in  authority.  My  enemies  would  gladly  do  me 
harm.  Pshaw !  I  will  forestall  them.  I  had,  besides, 
intended  to  resign."  He  said  this  in  a  careless  tone 
that  was  not  quite  natural.  "  It  will  be  the  easiest 
way  of  arranging  matters  and  of  putting  an  end  to 
all  manner  of  diflSculties.  Ah,  here  we  are  in  the  open 
country.     Let  us  ride  more  quickly." 

They  put  spurs  to  their  horses,  and  rode  on  under 
the  trees  until  they  drew  up  before  a  grated  gate, 
above  which  a  laburnum  had  been  trained  into  an 
archway.  A  short  distance  behind  it  was  the  pretty 
little  villa,  half  hidden  among  trees  and  shrubbery. 

The  general  sprang  from  the  saddle  with  youthful 
agility,  and  a  servant  made  his  appearance,  opened  the 
grated  gate,  and  took  charge  of  the  horses.  "  Madame 
is  in  the  drawing-room,"  he  said. 

They  went  into  the  house.  In  his  intense  agita- 
tion Treffenbach  hardly  saw  where  they  were  going. 


A  REVELATION  129 

— the  house  might  as  well  have  been  a  mosque  or  a 
mausoleum ;  but  afterwards,  in  memory,  every  trifling 
object  was  as  if  burned  in  upon  his  mind, — the  idyl- 
lic little  veranda,  tbe  pale  blue  flowers  of  the  climb- 
ing vine,  the  bright  glass  in  the  tall  window,  the 
cool,  dim  hall  paved  with  red  and  black  tiles.  They 
passed  on  and  entered  the  little  drawing-room,  where 
he  turned  giddy.  All  the  forebodings,  all  the  fears 
which  had  sprung  to  life  in  his  soul,  were  instantly 
personified  in  the  woman  glowing  with  Oriental 
beauty,  who  rose  from  her  divan  with  grace  and 
dignity  and  came  towards  her  visitors,  while  a  strange, 
harsh  voice  shrieked  from  above,  '  Welcome,  Constan- 
tin!' 

"Hush,  Tom,  you  chatterer,"  the  beautiful  woman 
said,  with  a  laugh ;  "  it  will  perhaps  sound  better  if  I 
say,  '  Welcome,  Constantin.'  "  And  she  off'ered  her  loft 
hand  to  the  son,  while  the  general  bowed  low  over 
her  right. 

"Yes,  Beatrice,  my  son  has  come  with  me.  I  am 
Bui'e  you  will  receive  him  kindly." 

It  is  impossible  fitly  to  describe  the  tumult  in  Trcf- 
fenbach's  soul.  One  should  know  how  proud,  how  stern 
was  that  heart,  to  understand  its  emotion.  One  should 
be  aware  of  all  his  mother  had  been  to  him,  to  fathom 
the  depth  of  his  misery. 

He  grew  veiy  pale,  and  in  his  eyes  there  flashed 
such  indignant  incredulity  that  Beatrice  Fouquet  in- 
stinctively withdrew  her  proff'ered  hand.  Without  a 
word,  he  bowed  mechanically,  then  turned  and  left 
the  room. 

"Magnus!"  his  father  called  in  tones  of  thunder. 
But  he  did  not  hear  him.     He  paused  on  the  little 
veranda  and  struggled  for  composure. 
J 


130  VIOLETTA 

Was  that  the  woman  who  was  to  reign  in  future  in 
those  apartments  where  the  echo  of  his  mother's  soft 
footfall  had  hardly  died  away?  Was  she  his  father's 
ideal,  to  whom  ho  was  about  to  sacrifice  his  profes- 
sion? 

Great  drops  of  moisture  stood  on  his  forehead ;  he 
leaned  against  a  pillar  for  sujiport.  Only  one  idea 
was  clear  in  his  mind.  He  must  away,  away  on  the 
instant  from  his  father's  presence,  or  he  should  lose 
all  self-control,  all  sense  of  what  was  due  to  a  parent. 
For  a  faint,  ghostly  voice  seemed  to  be  calling  to  him, 
'Avenge  me!' 

His  temples  throbbed,  a  red  cloud  seemed  to  en- 
velop all  around  him,  when  suddenly  his  agitation  gave 
place  to  a  wonderfully  soothing  sensation.  He  dimly 
perceived  an  airy  apparition  standing  beside  him ;  he 
made  a  mighty  effort  to  collect  himself,  and  he  suc- 
ceeded. The  vertigo  passed  oflF,  he  saw  everything 
clearly  again,  and  knew  that  he  was  not  alone,  but 
that  at  his  side  there  stood  no  apparition,  but  a  living 
being,  a  lovely,  delicate  child,  slender  as  a  fairy,  white 
and  shining  as  an  angel ;  and  as  two  soft  arms  were 
thrown  about  him,  he  looked  down  into  eyes  spark- 
ling with  delight. 

"  Ah,  my  brother  I"  And  Yioletta  Fouquet  threw 
into  the  words  all  the  enthusiastic  tenderness  with 
which  an  affectionate  sister  pronounces  that  name. 

Ye  heavens  above  I  This  too !  As  if  all  the  powers 
of  hell  were  combining  against  him  to  entangle  him 
in  their  spells !  He  thrust  away  the  soft  arms,  and 
hurried  down  the  veranda  steps  and  through  the  little 
garden.  Outside,  he  swung  himself  upon  his  horse 
and  galloped  off,  he  recked  not  whither.  Black  care 
and  pain  sat  in  the  saddle  with  him,  clutching  him 


SEVERED  131 

like  fierce  birds  of  prey.  He  could  not  shake  them  off, 
neither  could  he  rid  himself  of  the  memory  of  those 
clasping  arms. 

When  General  von  Treffenbach  came  home  that 
night  he  learned  that  his  son  had  been  there,  and  had 
given  directions  to  Fräulein  Emma  to  send  all  his 
books  and  other  effects  after  him  to  Velzin. 

"  Very  well,"  his  Excellency  said,  indifferently. 
Then  he  sat  down,  and  in  a  firm  hand  wrote  his  resig- 
nation from  the  army. 


CHAPTEE    XIII 

SEVERED 

Eavenhorst  was  a  stately  structure ;  in  front  of  the 
castle  there  was  a  spacious  terrace  forming  a  half- 
circle,  shaded  by  fine  old  lindens,  and  surrounded  by 
a  low  wall,  beyond  which  was  a  view  of  extensive 
meadows  set  in  a  frame  of  woodland.  The  castle 
itself  laid  no  claim  to  architectural  beauty,  but  there 
was  something  dignified  and  venerable  in  its  appear- 
ance, like  that  of  some  old  monastery. 

The  soil  here  was  more  fertile,  the  landscape  lovelier, 
than  at  Velzin.  True,  the  eye  wandered  over  limit- 
less plains,  but  they  were  cultivated.  Fields  of  waving 
grain  alternated  with  grassy  meadows.  Here  and 
there  lay  a  thriving  farm.  Eavenhorst  was  noted  for 
the  wealth  and  intelligence  of  its  tenantry. 

Upon  the  terrace  in  front  of  the  castle  Marie  Louise 


132  VIOLETTA 

was  standing  on  a  morning  in  May  reading  a  letter,  a 
flush  upon  her  cheelc  and  a  frown  upon  her  brow. 

The  old  lindens  on  this  terrace  had  witnessed  the 
entire  life  of  the  young  girl ;  she  had  grown  up  be- 
neath their  shade.  Here  as  an  infant  she  had  been 
dragged  about  in  her  basket- wagon  by  her  nurse,  and 
the  baby's  large  blue  eyes  had  gazed  gravely  out  upon 
the  world.  Here  she  had  played  with  her  dolls  and 
learned  her  lessons ;  and  here  she  had  written  Greek 
and  Latin  exercises  for  the  Herr  Pastor,  when  in  later 
years  she  was  not  content  to  be  taught  '  only  what 
girls  knew.' 

"  My  dear  child,"  her  grandmother  called,  "  what  is 
the  matter  ?     You  look  annoyed." 

The  old  couple  were  returning  from  their  morning 
walk  about  the  meadows,  where  they  had  been  specu- 
lating upon  the  prospects  of  the  approaching  hay  har- 
vest. It  was  rarely  that  Marie  Louise  seemed  ruffled, 
but  here  she  was  with  flushed  cheeks  and  an  angry 
look  in  her  eyes. 

"  If  it  should  be  true !  It  is  impossible  to  know 
how  much  importance  to  attach  to  Rhona's  thought- 
less gossip,  but  she  could  hardly  dare  to  invent  such 
things." 

"  My  dear,  remember  I  have  no  idea  of  what  you 
are  talking." 

"  Why,  General  Treffenbach  is  about  to  marry  a 
dancer!"  Marie  Louise's  eyes  flashed.  "It  is  hardly 
nine  months  since  his  wife  was  buried.  He  stood  by 
her  grave  fairly  crushed  to  the  earth.     He " 

"  Good  heavens !"  the  old  lady  exclaimed  in  dismay. 
"  It  is  one  of  Rhona's  ill-timed  jests,  nothing  more, 
depend  upon  it." 

But  Herr  von  Plattow  shook  his  head.     "Let  mo 


SEVERED  133 

toll  you,"  he  began,  "  that  the  thing  does  not  seem  to 
me  80  impossible.  I  have  known  Constantin  Treffen- 
bach now  for  thirty  years,  and  it  would  not  surprise 
me.  I  heard  some  whisper  of  his  intending  to  marry 
when  we  were  in  Bei'lin,  but  there  was  no  mention  of 
any  dancer.  The  name  spoken  of  was — stop,  let  me 
see, — I  cannot  remember." 

"  Eead  the  letter,"  said  his  wife :  "  it  will  explain 
matters.     It  cannot  be." 

"  Let  me  be  exact,"  said  the  young  lady.  "  Did  I 
say  dancer?  It  is  the  same  thing  in  my  opinion, — 
an  actress  is  an  actress.  The  person  in  question  is  a 
singer  from  La  Scala,  in  Milan  ;  that  Madame  Beatrice 
Fouquet  about  whom  Ehona  raved,  and  whom  we  met 
several  times,  to  my  great  annoyance.  She  sang  for 
a  season  in  opera,  and  her  daughter  was  in  the  ballet. 
I  confounded  the  two.  A  fine  kind  of  ste]3-mother  for 
poor  Magnus.  It  is  outrageous,  abominable,  a  burning 
disgrace !" 

"  Do  not  be  so  agitated.  Read  your  letter  to  us," 
her  grandmother  said,  soothingly.  "  You  may  have 
misunderstood  it." 

"  Here  is  the  letter.  Pray  do  not  ask  me  to  read  it 
again;  I  have  had  more  than  enough  of  itl" 

She  turned  away,  and  gazed  abroad  over  the 
meadows  and  woodland  basking  in  the  magic  light 
of  a  May  morning.  Dew-drops  glittered  on  every 
blade  of  grass,  and  birds  twittered  in  every  bush. 
She  had  no  eyes  for  all  this  beauty.  Her  ftice  was 
stern  and  her  look  gloomy,  for  there  were  dark,  threat- 
ening clouds  rising  in  the  clear  sky  above  her  future, 
and  they  dimmed  and  shadowed  the  lovely  spring  laud- 
scape,  and  filled  her  with  anger  and  dread. 

Meanwhile,  her  grandmother  had  sat  down  on  one 
12 


134  VIOLETTA 

of  the  garden  chairs,  had  put  on  her  spectacles,  and 
unfolding  the  letter,  read  it  aloud : 

"  I  have  a  tremendous  piece  of  news  for  you,  my 
dear  Marie  Louise,  and  am  only  afraid  lest  your  be- 
trothed  has  forestalled  me.  It  may  be,  however,  that 
the  composition  of  a  letter  which  is  to  impart  such 
tidings  to  you  may  cost  him  more  time  than  it  ever 
takes  me  to  write  my  nonsense.  I  shall  therefore 
take  your  ignorance  for  granted.  Let  me  tell  you, 
then,  that  we  were  yesterday  at  a  garden-party  of 
the  Princess  Menardi's.  She  has  lately  taken  a  villa 
at  Potsdam,  and  is  more  extraordinary  than  ever. 
She  had  another  curiosity  there,  a  crazy  Irish  bar- 
onet, dressed  like  Cooper's  Leatherstocking,  who 
makes  the  oddest  faces,  plays  the  piano  divinely, 
founds  orphan-asylums  in  secret  wherever  he  goes, 
and  has,  she  says,  a  heart  of  gold,  '  un  cuore  d'oro.' 
Either  the  gold  or  the  heart  enables  him  to  do  a  deal 
of  good  in  the  world,  so  runs  the  gossip  of  the  day. 
"Well,  the  old  Princess  snuffed  out  this  noble  creature 
in  Berlin  as  a  well-trained  poodle  snuffs  out  truffles 
among  the  moss.  That  graceful  simile  belongs  to  my 
witty  friend  Lieutenant  Schlacken.  Now,  among 
other  noble  acts,  this  baronet  made  the  fortune  of 
the  Beatrice  by  sending  her,  when  she  was  a  very 
little  girl,  to  Italy  and  having  her  educated  for  the 
stage.  'What  do  I  care  for  Beatrice?'  I  hear  you 
ask.  My  dear,  you  must  accustom  yourself  to  the 
sound  of  this  name,  for  you  will  have  to  hear  it  very 
frequently.  The  Beatrice  was  at  the  garden-party, 
of  course.  I  repeat  what  I  have  told  you  a  hundred 
times,  that  if  I  were  a  man  I  should  be  desperately  in 
love  with  her.  She  was  more  enchanting  than  ever, 
and   his   Excellency  your  papa-in-law  never   stirred 


SEVERED  135 

from  her  side.  Now,  it  has  been  whispered  about  that 
ho  was  among  her  admirers,  in  fact  that  he  had  serious 
intentions,  but  on  this  afternoon  every  one  was  as- 
tounded. She  behaved  with  distinguished  grace,  with 
calm  dignity,  as  if  entitled  to  all  that  she  could  receive. 
That  no  one  can  deny.  And  why  should  she  not? 
Her  reputation  is  unsullied.  She  has  played  her  part 
well.  It  is,  of  course,  a  piece  of  acting  when  she 
undertakes  the  role  of  a  grave,  dignified  matron,  but 
she  does  it  so  charmingly.  'Ah,  she  is  at  home  every- 
where,' Peppino  (I  beg  his  pardon,  Prince  Joseph), 
that  enfant  terrible  of  forty,  said  to  me.  '  I  saw  her  at 
Eome  during  the  Carnival,  and  she  was  somewhat 
merrier  than  she  is  to-day.' 

"Well,  after  a  couple  of  hours  she  drove  off  with 
her  companion.  His  Excellency  handed  her  to  her 
carriage,  and  meanwhile  everybody  looked  at  every- 
body else,  not  knowing  what  to  think.  Is  there  any- 
thing more  comical  than  the  faces  of  people  who  are 
puzzled  what  to  make  of  an  affair  of  this  kind  ?  I  was 
immensely  diverted,  and,  indeed,  it  was  more  than  I 
expected  to  be,  for  you  know  whose  absence  I  deplore ! 
(Little  Schlacken  was  more  of  a  bore  than  ever,  be- 
tween ourselves.  You  are  right,  he  is  a  tiresome 
chatterer.     Is  not  that  what  you  called  him?) 

"Well,  early  this  morning  we  had  a  visit  from 
papa's  friend,  Privy  Councillor  Finkenberg.  'Have 
you  heard  the  news  ?'  he  asked  mamma.  '  Gen- 
eral Treffenbach  is  going  to  marry  the  Fouquct,  and 
has  resigned  from  the  army.'  Of  course  mamma 
seemed  immensely  sui-prised,  although  these  two  pos- 
sibilities have  been  talked  of  for  months.  At  twelve 
we  wore  honoured  by  a  short  visit  from  the  hero  of 
the   day  himself      He  looked  superb,  but  mamma's 


136  VIOLETTA 

face  was  quite  purple  with  indignation.  He  plunged 
instantly  into  the  midst  of  affairs,  saying  that  we  must 
be  the  first  to  whom  he  announced  his  betrothal  to 
Madame  Fouquet.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  mamma 
was  a  Plattow,  I  vastly  admired  his  touching  consid- 
eration for  her  feelings,  in  informing  her  before  all 
others  that  he  had  quite  forgotten  his  first  wife.  But 
I  beg  a  thousand  pardons !  I  always  forget  that  he  is 
your  father-in-law.  How  odd  it  will  seem,  dear,  to 
have  you  here  superintending  all  the  benevolent  insti- 
tutions founded  by  the  Consistorial-rath,  and  making 
little  flannel  shirts  for  the  brown  Hindoo  babies,  while 
your  mamma-in-law  is  singing  in  '  The  Merry  Wives' ! 
You  two  ranged  side  by  side, — the  idea  is  delicious ! 
You  must  take  her  in  hand,  Marie  Louise.  I  am  sure 
she  is  very  imjoressionable  for  good  influences.  You 
must  induce  her  to  brush  her  hair  smooth,  and  to  wear 
shoes  without  heels. 

"  My  father  is  outraged  by  the  affair,  and  many  others 
share  his  views.  But  I  must  say  I  think  it  all  delight- 
ful. At  all  events,  I  want  to  be  the  first  to  tell  you 
of  it. 

"Always  devotedly  yours, 

"  Ehona. 

"  P.S. — If  you  should  hear  that  I  am  betrothed  to 
Schlacken,  you  will  know  that  it  is  the  result  of  my 
despair  at  the  departure  of  A.  v.  H. 

"  Your  wretched        Ehona." 

When  Frau  von  Plattow  ended,  a  long  silence  en- 
sued. Marie  Louise  was  still  standing  by  the  low  ter- 
race wall,  her  hand  resting  on  the  marble,  her  lips 
compressed,  her  gaze  fixed  on  space.     Her  clear-cut 


SEVERED  137 

profile  stood  out  like  ivory  against  the  blue  sky. 
Frau  von  Plattow  watched  her  with  an  anxious  air. 
The  old  Herr  was  the  first  to  speak.  Clearing  his 
throat,  and  with  a  grave  shalve  of  the  head,  he  began : 
"A  wretched  business!  A  most  undesirable  family 
connection ;  but  there  is  nothing  to  be  done !" 

Marie  Louise  turned  sharply :  "  And  why  not  ?" 

"  Good  heavens  !  You  are  betrothed  to  young  Tref- 
fenbach.   You  are  bound  both  by  heart  and  conscience." 

"  Conscience  ?"  she  asked.  "  My  conscience  binds  mo 
to  do  what  is  right.  We  should  cut  off  the  hand  that 
offends  us ;  and  if  it  hurts  us," — she  sighed  heavily, — 
"  what  of  that  ?  The  greater  the  pain,  the  more  the 
necessity,  perhaps,  for  enduring  it." 

"  My  dear  child,"  the  gentle  old  Frau  began,  "  you 
must  give  the  matter  the  most  earnest  consideration. 
I  confess  that  General  Treffenbach's  conduct  offends 
me  deeply,  but  I  admit  that  we  are  old-fashioned 
people  and  have  brought  you  up  with  old-fashioned 
ideas." 

"  Not  so,  it  seems  to  me,"  the  old  Herr  rejoined,  with 
a  keen  glance  towards  his  grand-daughter ;  "  it  cer- 
tainly was  not  the  fashion  in  old  times  to  dissolve  a 
betrothal  as  if  it  were  a  dancing  engagement." 

Marie  Louise  smiled  ironically :  "  No  one  has  ever 
yet  accused  me  of  levity ;  you  may  rest  assured  that 
I  never  act  without  due  consideration.  I  shall  cer- 
tainly not  do  so  in  this  case,  nor  shall  I  destroy  the 
happiness  of  my  life  for  my  present  gratification,  or 
in  a  moment  of  temporary  excitement." 

She  turned  away,  and  walked  slowly,  with  head 
erect,  towards  the  house.  "  My  dear,  she  is  right 
there,"  said  the  old  lady,  looking  up  at  her  husband. 

"  Let  me  tell  you  frankly,  my  dear  Charlotte,  what 
12* 


138  VIOLETTA 

has  been  borne  in  upon  mo  since  her  betrothal.  It  was 
not  the  result  of  inclination,  but  of  prudent  consider- 
ation ;  perhaps  it  was  a  sacrifice  made  for  our  sakes. 
She  believed  it  to  be  her  duty  to  provide  us  with  a 
son,  and  Eavenhorst  with  an  energetic,  capable  mas- 
ter. Treffenbach  was  congenial  to  her,  and  after  due 
deliberation  she  accepted  his  proposal ;  but  she  would 
dissolve  the  engagement  with  the  same  calm  com- 
posure in  view  of  the  slightest  obstacle  to  what  she 
imagines  the  happiness  of  her  future  life,  instead  of 
reflecting  that  it  is  her  duty  to  share  the  sorrow  and 
anxiety  of  the  man  to  whom  she  has  pledged  herself" 

"I  wish  you  had  said  all  this  to  her  before!"  Frau 
von  Plattow  exclaimed. 

"  I  fear,  my  dear  Charlotte,  that  Marie  Louise  will 
listen  to  nothing.  She  would  adduce  the  most  ad- 
mirable arguments  to  prove  precisely  the  contrary  of 
my  words.  She  has  thought  and  read  and  learned  so 
much  that  she  feels  herself  superior  to  those  about 
her." 

Marie  Louise  remained  shut  up  in  her  rooms  until 
noon.  When  she  made  her  appearance  her  eyes  were 
red  and  her  cheeks  were  pale,  but  she  calmly  took 
part  in  the  conversation,  and  made  several  inquiries 
of  the  secretary  and  inspector  as  to  matters  of  business. 
The  housekeeper,  too,  was  glad  to  accept  some  advice 
from  her  clear-headed  young  mistress. 

And  why  not  ?  She  always  knew  best.  Although 
she  did  not  attach  much  importance  to  such  things, 
and  placed  her  chief  interest  in  matters  of  spiritual 
import,  she  had  taken  pains  to  appreciate  the  practical 
side  of  life.  Modern  views  and  systems  were  as  famil- 
iar to  her  as  to  any  man,  and  since  she  had  as  yet  had 
no  opportunity  to  j)ut  in  practice  here  in  Eavenhorst 


SEVERED  139 

tier  own  peculiar  schemes  for  the  "welfare  of  mankind, 
ehe  performed  conscientiously  the  duty  that  lay  next 
her,  and  relieved  her  aged  relatives  as  far  as  she  could 
of  all  necessity  for  exertion. 

After  dinner  Herr  von  Plattow  and  his  wife  always 
retired  to  their  rooms  for  an  hour's  rej^ose.  This  time 
Marie  Louise  was  wont  to  spend  in  writing  letters,  for 
which  she  had  no  leisure  in  the  mornings. 

In  summer  her  writing-table  had  its  place  in  the 
garden  hall, — a  large  arched  apartment  on  the  ground- 
floor,  adjoining  the  dining-room,  which  served  in  winter 
as  a  conservatory,  but  was  a  cool,  shady  hall  in  summer. 
Only  a  few  palms  and  aloes  were  left  standing  here  and 
there  in  large  tubs,  and  the  walls  were  thickly  draped 
with  ivy.  The  centre  of  the  tiled  floor  was  covered 
with  a  rug,  where  chairs  and  couches  were  grouped 
about  a  large  round  table.  On  pleasant  evenings  the 
family  collected  here  about  a  lamp,  and  Marie  Louise 
busied  herself  with  ecclesiastical  embroidery. 

To-day  she  sat  down  at  her  writing-table,  but  she 
hesitated  long  before  beginning  her  letter.  From  time 
to  time  she  looked  up,  as  if  expecting  aid  or  some  in- 
terruption. And  she  was  not  disappointed.  She  had 
not  finished  her  first  page  before  she  heard  the  sound 
of  approaching  wheels.  She  dropped  her  pen  and  arose, 
but  she  did  not  go  to  meet  the  visitor.  If  it  were  he, 
he  would  know  where  to  find  her  at  this  hour. 

After  some  time  footsteps  slowly  coming  towards 
the  house  were  heard  upon  the  gravelled  pathway. 
Magnus  Treff'enbach  walked  into  the  hall,  and  greeted 
her  with  a  mute  pressure  of  her  hand.  His  appear- 
ance shocked  her  at  first,  until  she  reflected  that  it 
was  natural  that  he  should  look  as  he  did, — distressed, 
ashy  pale,  with   a  feverish   glow  in   his   eyes.     She 


140  VIOLETTA 

found  in  his  looks  only  the  confirmation  of  Rhona's 
intelligence.     How  could  he  look  well  and  happy  ? 

"  I  was  just  writing  to  you,  my  dear  Magnus,  but 
it  is  unnecessary  now,"  she  said,  with  some  emotion. 
"  You  come  from  Berlin  ?" 

He  tossed  his  hat  upon  the  table  and  passed  hia 
hand  over  his  forehead.  "  No,  no  ;  let  me  think.  I 
come  from  Yelzin.  My  head  has  grown  perfectly 
worthless.  I  finally  called  in  a  physician,  who  says  I 
have  overtasked  my  brain,  and  that  I  must  have  rest 
— rest.  Yes,  a  glorious  remedy, — easily  prescribed, 
and  not  to  be  procured  for  millions !" 

He  sat  down,  and  leaned  his  head  upon  his  hand. 
Marie  Louise  looked  at  him  with  deep  compassion, 
but  it  never  occurred  to  her  that  it  might  perhaps  be 
her  duty  to  alleviate  his  suffering  by  gentle,  consoling 
words.  She  would  have  regarded  any  such  as  mere 
idle  phrases. 

After  a  pause  he  looked  up  and  said  with  effort,  but 
with  resolution,  "  Of  course  you  know  everything." 

"  Yes ;  I  learned  it  to-day  from  a  letter."  Her  face 
flushed.  "  Be  assured,  Magnus,  that  for  your  poor 
mother's  sake  I  am  beyond  measure  astounded  and 
indignant.  I  have  no  words  in  which  to  express  my 
astonishment." 

Every  one  of  these  well-meant  words  was  like  a 
stab  to  his  morbid  consciousness,  but  he  exerted  his 
self-control  to  the  utmost,  and  began :  "  Pray  let  that 
rest ;  I  cannot  yet  speak  of  it.  Admit  the  fact  as  it 
is,  and  let  us  talk  of  it  only  with  reference  to  our- 
selves. The  honour  of  the  Treffonbach  name  is  in- 
trusted for  the  future  to  the  hands  of  a  frivolous 
woman.  What  will  she  do  with  it  ?  I  do  not  know, 
but  I  am  prepared  for  the  worst.     Can  I  expect  you 


SEVERED  141 

now  to  assume  this  name  ?     It  may  one  day  receive  a 
ßtain  that  nothing  can  obliterate." 

This  view  of  the  matter  seemed  new  to  her.  She 
had  not  taken  this  into  consideration,  but  after  some 
reflection  she  said,  "  You  are  right." 

What  else  could  she  say?  She  paid  no  heed  to  the 
fact  that  he  was  in  a  state  of  morbid  nervous  tension. 

"  I  expected  to  hear  you  say  so,"  he  said,  and  sank 
into  a  revery. 

"  Yes,  Magnus ;  but  I  must  confess  that  my  thoughts 
had  not  yet  entered  upon  that  view,  long  and  earnestly 
as  I  have  reflected.  I  have  had  a  hard  struggle.  Let 
me  tell  you  at  what  conclusions  I  have  arrived.  I 
never,  never  could  recognize  that  woman,  to  say  noth 
ing  of  receiving  her  beneath  my  roof.  You  must  be 
conscious  that  this  would  be  contrary  to  my  principles, 
to  my  whole  nature,  I  never  could  forget  whence 
she  came, — from  the  boards  of  a  theatre.  I  should 
always  remember  that  she  had  once  stood  painted  on 
the  stage.  My  resolves  once  taken  are  unalterable ;  I 
contract  no  friendship  with  frivolity,  let  the  world 
call  it  by  ever  so  fine  a  name,  let  Madame  Fouquct 
be  pronounced  a  queen  of  art,  a  divinely  gifted  crea- 
ture, and  what  not  besides.  I  grant  that  I  have  no 
appreciation  of  art;  if  I  were  capable  of  it  I  should 
flee  from  it  as  from  temptation.  Between  that  woman 
and  myself  there  must  always  stand  the  image  of  your 
mother,  whose  place  she  exultingly  usurps.  If  I  were 
not  your  betrothed  I  should,  as  a  Plattow,  feel  myself 
outraged." 

He  had  listened  with  a  strange  expression  of  apath}»-. 
Now  he  said,  with  evident  effort,  "  But  hoAv  can  you 
imagine  that  I  should  ever  allow  that  woman  to  cross 
your  path  ?" 


142  VIOLETTA 

She  smiled  with  some  embarrassment :  "  This  is 
what  I  wished  to  tell  you.  I  prophesy  that  the  time 
will  come  when,  either  induced  by  her  arts  or  by  your 
own  heart,  you  will  return  to  your  father's  house.  Do 
not  deceive  yourself.  You  cannot  separate  yourself 
for  life  from  your  father.  You  cannot  live  at  enmity 
with  each  other ;  I  have  seen  that.  You  are  neither 
of  you  demonstrative ;  you  are  often  separated  for 
months  at  a  time,  but  each  must  always  know  of  the 
other's  interests,  and  any  continued  estrangement  be- 
tween you  is  impossible.  I  foresee  that  you  will  be 
reconciled  to  each  other, — nay,  do  not  look  so  incred- 
ulous,— and  then  what  part  shall  I  play  ?  I  will  tell 
you  frankly:  I  should  then  be  the  obstacle  in  the 
way  of  your  reconciliation  with  your  family.  Endless 
misery  would  be  the  result.  No,  Magnus,  it  could 
never  be.  The  fair  image  of  my  future  is  blurred  and 
destroyed,  and  I  have  suffered  profoundly;  but  ask 
yourself,  what  should  I  do  in  a  family  the  members 
of  which  belonged  to  the  opera  and  the  ballet  ?" 

He  groaned  as  if  with  physical  pain,  arose,  and 
paced  the  hall  to  and  fro. 

"  Yes,  yes,  of  course,"  he  said.  "  What  could  you 
do  there  ?  But  what  am  I  saying  ?  Were  we  not  to 
live  here  ?  She  never  could  come  here ;  the  thought 
is  misery." 

"I  know  that  well,"  she  rejoined.  "I  know  what 
you  feel.  But  the  one  consoling  thought  is  that  you 
can  now  return  to  your  vocation,  and  still  do  a  great 
work  in  the  world.  I  learned  much  during  my  stay 
in  Berlin,  Magnus.  My  horizon  is  broader.  As  the 
master  of  Kavenhorst  you  might  be  a  very  good  man, 
but  you  could  not  be  a  great  one.  You  can  do  better 
things  than  merely  relieve  my  gi'andparents  from  care. 


SEVERED  143 

I  can  do  that,  and  what  a  woman  can  do  is  too  mean  a 
task  for  you." 

"  Possibly,"  he  said,  with  a  sigh.  "  But  you  seem  so 
strong  and  vigorous,  Mario.  You  talli  of  work  as  if 
it  were  a  matter  of  course.  You  can  hardly  under- 
stand me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  am  paralyzed  physi- 
cally and  mentally.    My  very  soul  cries  out  for  repose  " 

"  Work,"  she  said,  calmly ;  "  it  is  the  only  cure  for 
misery.     Forget  yourself  in  your  studies." 

"  The  power  of  study  seems  gone." 

"  But,  Magnus,  I  cannot  help  you.  You  must  con- 
quer yourself  like  a  man." 

"  Well,  then,  let  me  take  the  first  step  now  towards 
self-conquest.  Farewell,  Marie  Louise.  It  is  farewell 
indeed." 

She  held  out  her  hand  to  him,  surprised  at  the  in- 
difference of  his  tone,  although  intense  suffering  was 
stamped  in  every  feature  of  his  pale  face. 

"  Once  more,  farewell,  Marie  Louise.  I  wish  you 
in  your  future  life  all  the  happiness  that  I  am  unable 
to  offer  you.  Tell  your  grandparents  all.  Do  not  ask 
me  to  stay.  What  have  I  to  do  among  you  here? 
But  let  us  part  friends." 

She  did  not  ask  him  to  stay.  She  bade  him  fare- 
well with  a  firm  voice,  and  gave  him  back  his  troth 
forever.     Forever ! 


144  VIOLETTA 

CHAPTEE    XIV 
'back  to  busy  life  again' 

The  harvest  sun  lay  broad  upon  the  Yelzin  meadows. 
It  "was  one  of  those  warm  days  that  come  when  summer 
and  autumn  are  striving  with  each  other  for  the  mas- 
tery. Millions  of  purple  blossoms  on  the  moor  were 
offering  their  sweet  contents  to  the  bees,  that  filled 
the  air  with  their  drowsy  hum.  The  old  firs  bathed 
their  tops  in  the  sunshine  and  stretched  their  knotty 
arms  abroad,  as  if  in  token  of  content.  The  tap  of  the 
woodpecker  came  clear  and  distinct  from  the  woodland, 
and  the  cry  of  the  curlew  rang  out  from  above  the 
lake.  And  here  in  this  solitude,  so  filled  with  life,  we 
find  Treffenbach  again,  halting  beneath  an  ancient  fir, 
after  a  long,  warm  ride,  and  dismounting  from  his 
horse.  This  was  a  level  spot,  slightly  elevated  above 
the  surrounding  moor,  and,  casting  himself  down 
upon  the  soft  grass,  he  could,  while  lying  here  at  full 
length,  overlook  a  large  part  of  the  quiet,  wild  land- 
scape, and  a  long  stretch  of  the  road  running  through 
it  towards  the  west.  Judging  by  his  looks  continu- 
ally cast  in  that  direction,  he  was  expecting  some 
arrival. 

His  horse,  the  same  noble  creature  which  we  have 
seen  under  the  lindens  and  in  the  Thiergarten,  stood 
near  him,  heated  and  fatigued,  with  drooping  head. 
From  time  to  time  it  turned  towards  its  master  and 
licked  the  hand  extended  to  it.  Treffenbach  looked 
hot  and  tired,  but  a  very  different  man  from  the  one 


'BACK  TO  BUSY  LIFE  AGAIN'  145 

who  months  ago  bade  Marie  Louise  farewell.  His 
face,  which  had  then  worn  the  pallor  of  confinement 
in  a  study,  was  now  tanned  brown,  the  features  were 
more  strongly  marked,  the  eyes  clearer.  There  were 
still  traces  of  suffering  in  his  expression,  but  through 
them  shone  the  calm  that  comes  after  a  battle  won. 

And  to-day  he  could  look  back  upon  the  summer 
and  review  its  course  comparatively  without  pain. 

Weeks  had  passed  before  he  had  so  far  recovered  as 
to  take  interest  in  life,  or  to  allow  his  fancy  to  busy 
itself  with  plans  for  the  future.  But  during  this  time 
there  was  at  hand  to  soothe  and  aid  him  a  woman 
whose  almost  maternal  sympathy  was  always  ready, 
and  whose  gentle  wisdom  was  intuitive.  This  was 
the  pastor's  wife,  Frau  Ehrhardt,  she  whose  fine  men- 
tal qualities  and  cheerful  Christian  nature  had  brought 
her  so  near  to  his  mother  that  the  difference  in 
worldly  station  had  been  obliterated  in  their  case,  and 
the  pastor's  wife,  with  her  myriad  daily  cares,  her 
humble  duties,  had  been  the  trusted  friend  of  the  mis- 
tress of  Yelzin.  The  knowledge  of  this  friendshij) 
made  her  hand  held  out  to  Magnus  in  his  misery  a 
welcome  aid. 

And  she  had  with  rare  tact  discharged  the  self- 
imposed  duties  of  ministering  to  his  physical  and 
mental  needs.  She  had  insisted  upon  his  calling  in  a 
physician,  and  had  then  seen  that  the  doctor's  pre- 
scriptions were  strictly  followed.  When  Treffenbach 
gradually  came  to  repose  such  confidence  in  her  as  led 
him  to  speak  to  her  openly  of  what  distressed  him,  she 
wisely  tried  to  turn  his  thoughts  in  another  direction. 
As  all  mental  exertion  was  forbidden  him,  she  inter- 
ested him  in  practical  matters,  and  here  her  husband 
lent  his  powerful  assistance.  Pastor  Ehrhardt  could 
Q       k  13 


146  VIOLETTA 

always  lure  him  away  from  a  dull  brooding  ovei  his 
wretchodnesa  by  interesting  talk  concerning  Yelzin 
affairs.  As  Treffenbach  needed  constant  exercise,  and 
disliked  going  out  alone,  the  pastor  at  first  accompanied 
him  in  long  daily  walks  through  field  and  forest.  Grad- 
ually the  '  young  master'  began  to  be  annoyed  at  their 
neglected  condition,  and  this  annoyance  the  pastor 
and  his  wife  hailed  as  a  sign  of  recovery. 

An  old  forester,  living  like  a  mediaeval  hermit, 
morose  and  gray-bearded,  in  a  hut  in  the  forest,  now 
became  Treff enbach's  daily  companion.  The  good 
pastor's  time  would  hardly  have  sufiiced  to  fill  that 
office,  for  the  walks  had  grown  to  be  long  tramps, 
lasting  more  than  half  the  day.  Magnus  returned 
from  them  in  a  state  of  healthy  fatigue,  and  the  sound 
sleep  sure  to  ensue,  and  to  which  he  had  lately  been  a 
stranger,  renewed  his  strength  in  double  measure. 
He  was  soon  able  to  study  without  pain  in  his  head 
the  books  which  he  sent  for  upon  the  scientific  man- 
agement of  estates,  and  with  a  flask  of  wine  and  a 
crust  of  bread  in  his  wallet,  he  would  sometimes  con- 
tinue abroad  in  the  fields  from  morning  until  night. 

•'  You  ought  to  have  a  riding-horse,  Baron  Treffen- 
bach," the  physician  said  to  him. 

He  bit  his  lip,  for  this  suggestion  instantly  sent  his 
thoughts  wandering  to  what  he  persistently  avoided 
contemplating.  But  in  a  moment  he  saw  the  wisdom 
of  the  doctor's  words,  and  that  very  night  he  wrote 
to  the  groom  of  his  father's  stables  to  send  him  JMon- 
tresor  with  a  trusty  attendant. 

He  had  then  been  three  months  at  Velzin,  and  in  all 
that  time  had  heard  nothing  from  Berlin.  He  never 
read  the  papers,  ho  received  no  letters,  and  all  commu- 
nication with  Eavenhorst  was  at  an  end. 


'BACK  TO   BUSY  LIFE  AGAIN'  I47 

It  was,  therefore,  with  some  agitation  that  he  sent 
off  this  business  note,  ignorant  as  he  was  whether  the 
house  in  the  capital  were  not  closed  and  the  family- 
gone  elsewhere.  He  would  have  been  almost  glad  to 
hear  that  this  was  so,  for  it  was  still  torture  to  him  to 
fancy  a  Beatrice  Fouquet  presiding  in  the  rooms  which 
he  had  once  thought  were  to  be  always  consecrated  to 
the  memory  of  his  mother. 

Three  days  later  the  beautiful  brown  mare  arrived. 
Treffenbach  went  to  the  stables  himself  while  the 
groom  who  had  brought  it  was  removing  the  blanket 
in  which  it  had  been  carefully  wrapped  for  the  excit- 
ing journey  by  railway.  The  man  bowed  to  the  young 
Baron  and  delivered  his  message  from  the  chief  groom. 
Treffenbach  was  hesitating  whether  to  ask  any  ques- 
tion that  should  betray  his  utter  ignorance  of  his 
father's  whereabouts,  when  Montresor  recognized  him, 
whinnied,  and  poked  its  delicate  nose  in  his  pocket  as 
if  for  sugar. 

"  Who  taught  you  that  accomplishment  ?"  he  asked, 
patting  the  creature's  slender  neck.  "You  did  not 
use  to  do  so." 

"  He  learned  that  of  the  young  Fräulein,"  the  groom 
said.  "  Since  the  family  returned  she  has  ridden  the 
mare  every  day." 

The  blood  rushed  to  Treffenbach's  face,  and  the 
groom,  noting  his  change  of  expression,  added,  in  a 
tone  which  might  as  well  have  been  the  result  of  sim 
plicity  as  of  malice,  "  But  the  Herr  Baron  need  not  be 
afraid  that  the  mare  is  injured.  The  Fr<äulein  rides, 
the  chief  groom  saj'S,  like  a  professional  horsewoman." 

Treffenbach  left  the  stable  with  a  clouded  brow  and 
throbbing  temples.  It  needed  a  long  pacing  to  and 
fro  in  the  avenue  before  he  "-rew  calm  again.     The 


148  VIOLETTA 

twittering  of  the  birds  in  the  boughs  overhead  sounded 
in  his  ears  like  a  silvery  ripple  of  laughter,  and  the 
warm  wooing  wind  that  breathed  about  him  recalled 
the  clasp  of  the  soft  childish  arms  of  her  whose  exist- 
ence he  had  not  deemed  worth  a  thought,  and  who 
had  been  so  bitterly  avenged. 

Still  in  a  gloomy  mood,  he  walked  to  the  parsonage, 
where,  in  the  summer-house  beneath  the  walnut  at 
the  foot  of  the  garden,  he  found  Frau  Ehrhardt  busy 
with  a  heaped-up  work-basket  on  the  table  before  her, 
superintending  Hanna's  knitting  and  hearing  the  les- 
sons of  the  little  ones.  They  were  sent  to  play  for  a 
while  when  the  mother  saw  the  Herr  Baron  approach- 
ing with  a  cloud  upon  his  brow ;  and  after  he  had  taken 
his  seat  upon  a  bench  opposite  her  she  asked,  anx- 
iously, "  What  is  the  matter  ?" 

"  Nothing.     My  horse  has  arrived." 

"  And — you  have  news  ?" 

"  No ;  only  that  that  ballet-girl  has  ridden  my  maro 
every  day, — and  as  skilfully,"  he  added,  bitterly,  "  as 
a  professional  horsewoman.     Very  pleasant  for  me." 

"  I  should  like,  my  dear  Herr  Baron,"  Frau  Ehrhardt 
said,  after  some  reflection,  "  to  speak  a  word  to  you 
on  this  subject.  I  have  hitherto  avoided  doing  so, 
because  I  shrank  from  touching  an  open  wound.  You 
know  how  deeply  I  deplore  this  marriage ;  you  know 
that  I  share  your  opinion  with  regard  to  it,  and  it  may 
surprise  you  that  I  can  find  one  word  to  say  in  that 
young  girl's  behalf,  but  we  must  not  utterly  condemn 
her  without  some  knowledge  of  her." 

"  That  knowledge  I  have.  I  saw  her  upon  the  stage ; 
I  saw  her  picture  in  every  shop- window ;  I  heard  her 
name  upon  every  idle  coxcomb's  lips.     Pah !" 

"  Poor  child ;  only  fifteen  years  old,  and  absolutely 


*BACK  TO  BUSY  LIFE  AGAIN'  149 

governed  by  a  mother  who  saw  no  better  career  foi* 
her  daughter  than  one  similar  to  her  own  !" 

"  A  child  already  skilled  in  the  arts  by  which  men's 
heads  are  turned." 

"  Perhaps  ;  but  let  me  tell  you  what  I  know  of  Yio- 
letta  Fouquet.  Ah,  Herr  Baron,  you  ai-e  surprised, 
and  no  wonder,  that  the  wife  of  the  pastor  of  a  village 
so  remote  from  the  capital  as  Velzin  should  have  any 
knowledge  of  one  who  is  in  your  mind  a  creature  ex- 
isting only  for  the  dazzle  and  glitter  of  a  frivolous 
society.  But  in  the  quietest  part  of  Berlin  there  is  a 
modest  little  dwelling,  where  an  old  friend  of  mine — a 
poor  widow  now — has  been  placed  in  charge  of  some  lit- 
tle orphan  children  from  the  lowest  classes  of  the  people. 
An  eccentric  Irish  baronet,  the  early  benefactor  of  the 
ginger  who  is  Violetta's  mother,  has  done  this  thing, 
for  what  ?  To  gratify  not  only  his  own  kind  heart, 
but  also  the  child  of  whom  we  are  talking.  I  have 
always  kept  up  my  correspondence  with  Frau  Forst- 
mann, and  from  her  I  hear  of  Yioletta  Fouquet, — not 
of  her  art  in  turning  men's  heads,  but  of  her  tender 
thought  of  others,  of  her  symjjathy  with  the  lowest 
of  God's  creatures.  Ah,  I  assure  you,  my  poor  friend 
grows  eloquent  in  her  praise,  and  therefore  I  have  a 
request  to  make  of  you, — one  that  I  have  deeply  at 
heart." 

"  What  is  it  ?"  he  said,  the  sarcastic  expression  on 
his  face  giving  place  to  surprise  and  a  half-incredulous 
sympathy. 

"  If  at  any  future  time  you  should  meet  this  young 
creature,  do  not  be  hard  upon  her,  do  not  judge  her 
without  knowing  her;  try  to  be,  I  do  not  say  a 
brother  to  her,  but  a  friend.  Forgive  me  for  speaking 
thus  to  you,  but  I  am  older  than  you,  and  I  have  had 

13* 


150  VIOLETTA 

many  trials  and  have  thought  much.  God  make  us  all 
merciful  as  we  hoj^e  for  mercy !  Have  patience  with 
Violetta  if  you  ever  see  her  again." 

"  I  promise  you,"  he  said,  much  moved  by  her  ear- 
nest words.  "  I  thank  you  for  appealing  to  my  better 
self.  If  this  child  is  what  you  describe,  and  if  fate 
ever  brings  us  together,  I  will  do  my  duty ;  and  how- 
ever strict  I  may  be,  I  will  not  be  harsh,  and  will  try 
to  keep  only  her  good  in  view." 

From  that  day  Treffenbach's  thoughts  of  his  un^ 
welcome  young  step-sister  grew  more  kindly,  and  al- 
though his  pain  in  thinking  of  the  home  that  he  had 
lost  was  no  less,  and  his  opinion  of  Beatrice  Fouquet 
unchanged,  he  could  contemplate  more  calmly  the  ex- 
isting state  of  affairs.  A  longing  to  see  his  father  again, 
to  know  that  there  was  peace  between  them,  began  to 
stir  within  him,  although  this  took  no  shape  in  any 
resolve. 

He  wondered  now  at  the  indifference  with  which  he 
had  resigned  his  claim  to  the  hand  of  Marie  Louise. 
How  could  it  be  ?  He  could  not  so  easily  relinquish 
the  idea  that  had  grown  with  his  growth  and  strength- 
ened with  his  strength.  Therefore  he  had  wi'itten 
her  a  long  explanatory  letter,  which  he  had  des- 
patched by  a  special  messenger  to  Eavenhorst,  and 
watching  for  the  return  of  this  messenger,  he  lay 
here  on  this  autumn  day  on  the  heather  beneath  the 
old  fir. 

Yes,  there  he  came.  Treffenbach  arose  and  walked 
towards  the  man,  leading  his  horse  by  the  bridle. 

The  letter  that  he  should  thus  receive  would  decide 
his  future  life.  If  it  contained  a  '  no'  he  should  in  a 
few  weeks  either  return  to  St.  Petersburg  or  depart  for 
some  foreign  country. 


TWO    YEARS  LATER  151 

The  letter  was  very  brief,  and  ran  thus :  "I  am 
amazed  at  the  speedy  fulfihnent  of  my  prophecy,  for 
from  your  letter  I  gather  that  your  sentiments  with 
regard  to  that  person  are  already  undergoing  some 
modification.  I  do  not  change.  Have  you  forgotten 
your  mother  ?  I  have  not  I  I  never,  never  can  be 
yours, 

"Marie  Louise." 

A  few  weeks  afterwards  the  Velzin  manor-house  was 
again  untenanted.  The  young  Baron  was  travelling. 
The  government  had  given  him  a  position  in  an  Asi- 
atic expedition  which  had  just  been  fitted  out,  and  his 
scientific  researches  would  probably  be  very  inter- 
esting. Science  must  console  him  for  all  that  he  had 
lost. 


CHAPTEE    XV 


TWO   YEARS   LATER 


Just  two  years  had  passed  since  that  morning  when 
Fräulein  Emma  had  wreathed  the  portraits  in  the 
drawing-room  with  garlands  because  it  was  the  '  wed- 
ding-day.' 

In  spite  of  the  changes  that  had  taken  place,  Fräu- 
lein Emma  had  remained  faithfully  at  her  post,  like  a 
devoted  cat.  She  had  witnessed  with  sighs  and  tears 
the  instalment  of  the  new  mistress,  and  had  been  re- 
tained like  some  indispensable  article  of  furniture. 


152  VIOL  ETTA 

Thus  she  sat  this  morning  in  the  hreakfast-room, 
behind  the  same  coffee-urn,  and  the  sun  shone  on  the 
old  coat  of  arms  on  the  wall,  and  upon  the  tawny  hide 
of  a  huge  mastiff  stretched  in  lazy  length  upon  the 
floor.  But  the  doors  into  the  drawing-room  were 
closed,  for  Madame  did  not  like  to  have  the  aroma  of 
the  coffee,  or  perchance  the  odour  of  a  fine  Havana, 
interfere  with  the  perfumed  atmosphere  of  her  special 
room.  The  round  clock  in  the  wainscoting  struck 
eight;  Fräulein  Emma  cleared  her  throat,  sighed, 
and  laid  aside  her  knitting :  the  general  would  enter 
shortly. 

"  Thirty  years !"  She  reckoned  them  up  to  herself, 
but  she  had  put  no  wreaths  around  the  old  portraits, 
nor  had  she  tied  a  new  lace  kerchief  about  her  still 
swollen  face.  She  had  contented  herself  with  ex- 
changing a  significant  glance  with  Friedrich,  now 
become  a  finely-polished  jewel. 

The  door  opened,  and  the  general  appeared,  as  erect 
and  imposing  in  damage  as  ever,  it  seemed  at  the  first 
glance, — and  yet  he  was  changed. 

The  commander  had  become  an  idle  looker-on, — a 
great  change,  and  one  that  affects  the  deepest  springs 
of  life.  Energy,  action,  cajjacity,  and  the  armed  hand, 
all  lying  unused,  like  dead  capital.  Daily  occupation 
is  lacking, — the  one  great  interest  that  fills  up  exist- 
ence and  lends  it  a  value,  urging  on  to  new  goals  as 
soon  as  the  old  ones  are  attained. 

What  is  he  now  ?  Merely  the  bearer  of  a  title,  a 
man  whose  life  is  already  only  a  memory.  Ah,  this 
makes  the  hair  gray,  and  brings  on  that  nervous  irri- 
tability which,  in  default  of  greater  annoyances,  will 
fret  at  the  motes  in  the  sunbeam.  Formerly  the  gen- 
eral had  given  no  thought  to  his  health ;  he  had  had 


TWO    FEARS  LATER  .     153 

neither  time  nor  interest  for  little  ailments  that  wore 
now  thought  of  importance,  and  brought  forward  to  a 
degree  that  caused  people  to  remark  that  since  General 
Treffenbach  had  resigned  from  the  army  he  had 
grown  old  and  ailing. 

As  he  sat  down  at  the  breakfast-table  and  spread 
his  napkin  on  his  knees,  he  looked  rather  ill-humoured. 
*'  My  step-daughter  not  yet  down  ?"  he  asked,  glancing 
at  the  clock.  "  Only  half  a  cup,  Emma,  if  you  please. 
The  gout  is  flying  about  me  everywhere  this  morning. 
My  right  arm  is  absolutely  stiff.  Which  way  is  the 
wind?  East?  I  thought  so.  Ah,  mouse,  here  you 
are.  I  have  been  waiting  half  an  hour  for  the  Princess 
Sleepy-head." 

For  Yioletta  Fouquet  had  tripped  into  the  room, 
bright  and  lovely,  a  very  embodiment  of  the  sunny 
morning. 

"  No,  no,  papa  dear,"  she  said,  stooping  to  kiss  his 
hand ;  "  not  more  than  five  minutes  at  most.  Eh, 
Fräulein  Emma  ?  But  I  am  charmed  to  know  that  it 
seemed  so  long  to  you." 

He  smiled,  and  she  pushed  her  chair  nearer  to  his, 
so  that  while  with  her  right  hand  she  heaped  her  cup 
of  coffee  with  sugar,  she  leaned  her  left  elbow  upon 
the  arm  of  his  chair  and  looked  up  at  him  inquiringly. 
"More  pain,  papa?"  she  asked,  gently. 

"  Oh,  I  feel  like  a  beaten  dog  this  morning." 

She  took  his  hand  in  both  hers :  "  What  did  the 
doctor  say  last  evening?" 

"  What  they  all  say,— Teplitz." 

"  Then  we  are  going  to  Tef)litz,  are  we  not  ?" 

"  Drink  your  coffee,  mouse,  and  don't  tease  me  with 
questions." 

"You  are  going  to  Teplitz,  and  I  am  going  with 


154  VIOLETTA 

you,  and  mamma  will  go  to  Ycnico  with  the  Menardis," 
Violetta  insisted. 

"  We'll  see,  we'll  see.  Both  might  be  too  much  for 
the  purse." 

He  tried  to  speak  jestingly,  but  the  attempt  was 
hardly  successful. 

"  Then  mamma  must  really  give  up  her  journey,  eh  ? 
It  must  not  be  like  last  summer." 

"  How  was  it  last  summer  ?" 

"  When  we  were  in  Scotland,  and  mamma  fell  into 
the  lake  as  we  were  landing,  and  you  pulled  her 
out " 

"  What  ?     Ought  I  to  have  let  her  drown  ?" 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mean  that ;  but  when  you  had  so 
much  pain  in  consequence,  and  the  doctors  all  ordered 
the  baths,  my  mother  would  not  give  up  Paris,  aiid 
you  laughed  at  the  doctors.  Ah !" — and  the  girl 
clasped  her  hands, — "  it  is  terrible  to  have  such  wilful 
parents;  is  it  not,  Fräulein  Emma?  This  year  the 
doctor's  prescription  must  be  followed." 

"Drink  your  coffee,  mouse,  and  then  come  and 
write  a  couple  of  letters  for  me, — my  right  hand  is 
good  for  nothing, — and  after  that  we  will  have  a  ride." 

He  took  up  the  daily  paper  and  began  to  read  it, 
but  soon  tossed  the  large  sheet  aside  with  an  impa- 
tient exclamation.  "  Where  is  the  '  Weekly  G-azette'  ? 
It  must  have  come  to-day !" 

Violetta  sprang  »p  and  brought  him  a  tiny  sheet 
from  a  table  near  the  door.  "  Here  it  is.  Friedrich 
has  been  reading  it  again  on  the  sly,  and  has  left  it 
there.     Now  let  us  see !" 

And  General  Treffenbach's  lovely  step-daughter  un- 
folded the  modest  journal,  the  organ  of  a  remote, 
secluded  quarter  of  the  Margraviate. 


TWO    YEARS  LATER  155 

Since  January  the  general  had  been  taking  this 
journal,  of  the  existence  of  which  he  had  not  pre- 
viously been  aware,  and  had  read  it  with  the  greatest 
eagerness  from  beginning  to  end,  although  always 
laying  it  aside  with  a  disappointed  air.  To-day,  how- 
ever, Fräulein  Emma,  who  was  naturally  timid,  was 
startled  by  a  loud  exclamation  of  surprise  from  the 
pair,  and  then  Violetta  read  out  in  an  undertone,  "  TVe 
hear  that  Baron  Magnus  Treffen  bach,  who  returned  to 
us  last  January  from  St.  Petersburg,  takes  his  depart- 
ure this  month  for  Rio  do  Janeiro,  where  he  is  to 
be  Secretary  of  Legation.  We  regret  this  extremely. 
Such  a  man  should  remain  in  our  country.  The  lec- 
ture delivered  by  him  lately  in  our  Town  Hall  upon 
Indian  Missions  showed  him  to  be  a  finished  orator. 
His  political  views,  his  ready  benevolence,  and  his 
force  of  character  are  well  known.  He  certainly  will 
not  lack  votes  at  our  next  election." 

There  was  a  pause.  The  general  rubbed  his  fore- 
head. "  In  the  course  of  this  month  ?  What  month 
is  this?" 

"It  is  May,  papa." 

"  Ah,  of  course,  of  course.  Well,  never  mind  that, 
Yioletta ;  I  must  go  to  my  letters." 

She  ran  with  him,  hanging  on  his  arm  and  looking 
up  in  his  face,  "  Brazil,  Brazil !  Is  not  that  very  far, 
j^nd  rather  unhealthy  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes."  His  face  had  grown  gray  and  gloomy. 
They  went  to  his  study ;  the  young  girl  sat  down  at 
the  writing-table  and  dipped  her  pen  in  the  ink,  while 
the  general  walked  to  and  fro. 

"  There  was  a  letter  to  be  written  to  a  horse-dealer," 
Violetta  said  at  last,  timidly,  as  if  to  remind  him  of 
their  pui-pose  in  coming  here.     Then  she  drew  a  mul- 


156  VIOLETTA 

titude  of  cherubs'  heads  upon  her  blotter.  Still  the 
general  continued  to  pace  to  and  fro  and  said  nothing. 
Suddenly  he  sank  heavily  into  an  arm-chair  and  cov- 
ered his  eyes  with  his  hand.  In  an  instant  the  girl 
was  on  her  knees  beside  him,  with  her  arm  about  his 
neck.  "  We  will  write  to  him,  papa,"  she  whispered 
in  his  ear. 

He  sighed,  with  an  expression  of  intense  melancholy. 
"  Shall  we  write  to  him  ?     But  what  shall  we  say  ?" 

"  That  he  must  come  to  you.  Yes,  before  he  goes 
to  Brazil." 

"  Go  and  write,  then." 

"  Oh,  no ;  not  I,  not  I.  You  must  do  that."  She 
pushed  paper  and  pen  towards  him,  and  he  began  the 
letter,  but  his  hand  trembled,  and  the  writing  was 
illegible. 

"  You  see,  child,  it  will  not  do." 

"  Oh,  it  must ;  only  try.  There,  that  is  beautiful ! 
*  My  dear  son.'     Now  go  on." 

"  But  what  shall  I  say  ?" 

Violetta  propped  her  chiu  upon  her  clasped  hands 
and  gazed  up  at  the  ceiling.  "  Oh,  I  know.  He  must 
come  to  Teplitz.  There  you  will  be  alone, — that  is,  I 
shall  be  there, — but  I  am  the  same  as  no  one  to  him." 
She  spoke  the  last  words  with  a  somewhat  disdainful 
air  of  pique  and  with  head  erect. 

If  there  were  a  person  in  the  world  whom  Violetta 
Fouquet  hoped  never  to  see  again,  it  was  Magnus  Tref- 
fenbach. He  was  the  only  human  being  who  had  ever 
rudely  repulsed  her,  the  only  man  of  whom  she  was 
afraid.     But  all  that  was  of  no  consequence  now. 

The  general  wrote  on  with  difficulty,  but  without 
pause.  When  he  had  finished  he  looked  up  :  "I  hope 
he'll  come." 


TWO    YEARS  LATER  157 

"  He  must  come." 

"  Now,  then,  I  "will  go  to  mamma.  No  more  letters 
to-day,  little  one.  Does  not  your  singing-master 
come  ?     When  he  goes  we'll  have  our  ride." 

And,  as  if  invigorated,  he  arose  and  left  the  room 
with  a  more  elastic  step  and  more  of  his  old  martial 
bearing.  His  beautiful  wife  must  not  see  that  grief 
for  the  loss  of  his  son  was  gnawing  at  his  heart,  and 
that  care,  care  of  the  most  prosaic  kind,  was  making 
an  old  man  of  him. 

The  Baroness  Treffenbach  was  still  in  her  boudoir, 
reclining  upon  her  divan,  occupied  jDartly  with  a  cup 
of  chocolate,  partly  with  a  huge  box  filled  with  pat- 
terns of  rich  stutfs.  Charlie  was  growling  under  a 
chair,  and  Tom  was  fidgeting  on  his  perch,  but  Ma- 
dame Morton's  gray-clad  form  was  no  longer  to  be  seen. 
There  is  no  longer  any  necessity  for  her  ministrations, 
and  she  has  vanished,  has  departed  to  keep  house  for 
an  invalid  old  Graf 

Beatrice  looked  up  as  her  husband  entered,  and  held 
out  to  him  her  hand,  which  he  pressed  to  his  lips  after 
true  knightly  fashion.  She  looked  rather  weary,  per- 
haps only  bored,  but  always  beautiful. 

"  Good-morning,  mon  ami.  You  have  finished  your 
correspondence  early,  and  so  find  me  still  in  my  morn- 
ing-wrapper. Look  here,  only  the  other  day  some  one 
said  that  gold,  shot  with  blue,  would  be  very  becoming 
to  me,  and  here  I  have  just  received  it  as  a  novelty 
from  Paris."  She  yawned.  "  Beautiful  weather.  I  am 
going  to  drive  out.     And  you  ?" 

"  I  am  at  your  disposal.  But  you  do  not  look  well, 
Beatrice.     What  is  it?" 

"  Ennui,"  was  the  prompt,  smiling  reply  ;  "  and  in- 
deed I  might  return  the  compliment.     We  are  both 

14 


158  VIOLETTA 

growing  old,  it  seems  to  me.  They  grow  old  fearfully 
early  in  your  country." 

"  Not  so  early  as  in  Italy,  I  think." 

"  Oh,  I  did  not  mean  that.  I  meant  you  of  the  aris- 
tocracy. It  is  the  dull  life  you  lead.  Do  you  not  think 
so  ?"  She  looked  at  him  thoughtfully.  "  I  have  been 
puzzling  myself  over  it  for  the  last  half-hour.  What 
is  our  life  ?  Eise  in  the  morning,  write  notes,  have  a 
consultation  with  the  housekeeper,  a  visit  from  one's 
milliner,  then  lunch,  calls,  dinner,  a  little  music,  tea, 
and  the  day  is  over." 

"And  what  else  would  you  have ?" 

"  Can  you  ask  ?  Change  of  scene,  new  faces,  new 
scores,  new  stages ;  in  short,  never  to  know  one  day 
what  the  next  will  be  like.  That  is  life !  But  here 
we  know  exactly — good  heavens ! — twenty  years  be- 
forehand. Death  and  birth  are  the  only  changes  in 
this  existence." 

She  did  not  speak  complainingly,  but  with  a  certain 
amount  of  humour.  Then  she  clasped  her  hands  like 
a  pleading  child.  "  Grant  a  grace,  dear  friend.  Let 
us  go  to  Naples." 

"  Now,  in  spring  ?" 

"  What  of  that  ?  The  Menardis  have  a  villa  at  Sor- 
rento." 

"  The  Hofrath  insists  that  I  must  go  to  Teplitz." 

"  In— deed  ?     Well  ?" 

"  Well  ?" 

"  Do  you  expect  me  to  play  the  good  wife  and  go  to 
Teplitz  and  wrap  you  in  flannel  when  you  come  out 
of  the  baths  ?" 

"  Suppose  I  were  to  say  *  yes'  ?" 

"  Heavens  above !"  The  Beatrice  sank  back  among 
her  cushions  as  if  annihilated.     The  general  looked 


m 


TWO   YEARS  LATER  159 

away,  but  she  saw  that  he  was  hurt.  *  Constantin !" 
she  said,  gently,  and  the  parrot  repeated  after  her, 
*  Constantin !' 

The  general  made  a  motion  as  if  to  sweep  the  inso- 
lent creature  from  its  perch ;  Beatrice  put  out  her  hand 
as  if  to  prevent  the  attack,  and  laughed  archly.  "  Tell 
the  truth,  Constantin ;  you  turn  to  the  bird,  but 
you  mean  me.  Now  let  me  tell  you  frankly,  you 
ask  too  little  of  me ;  that  is  it,  I  cannot  condescend 
to  such  trifles.  Demand  of  me  something  grand  and 
unusual,  and  you  shall  be  gratified.  Tell  me  that  cir- 
cumstances compel  you  to  go  among  wild  Indians,  and 
I  will  share  your  wigwam.  Reveal  to  me  that  you  are 
condemned  to  the  galleys,  and  I  will  be  chained  to  the 
oar  beside  you.  If  your  life  depended  upon  my  death, 
I  could  plunge  the  dagger  into  my  heart  in  the  fervour 
of  my  devotion.  Ah,  you  do  not  know  me  yet.  I  am 
capable  of  an  heroic  act,  believe  me  ;  but  to  regulate 
the  temperature  of  a  bath  with  a  thermometer  for  eight 
long  weeks,  and  to  keep  a  record  of  the  progress  of 
the  cure  of  my  husband's  rheumatism, — where  is  there 
room  for  heroism  in  that  ?  Besides,  I  always  become  ill 
myself  when  I  see  sick  people,  and  that  wretched  Tep- 
litz  is  swarming  with  miserable  objects,  pushed  about 
in  invalid-chairs  or  hobbling  along  on  crutches.  Ah, 
my  dear  husband,  have  pity  upon  the  nerves  of  a 
woman  who  suffers  more  than  she  ever  confesses !" 

"  I  see  that  you  are  not  well  and  need  some  change," 
he  said,  half  conquered,  for  those  eyes  and  that  smile 
had  not  yet  lost  their  charm  for  him. 

"  Now  you  are  delightful.  In  two  weeks  the  Mc- 
nardis  are  going.  Let  us  all  go  to  Teplltz  together, 
and  I  will  gladly  pass  a  few  days  there  with  you.  Then 
I  will  take  Violetta  and  go  on  to  Vienna  and  Yenicc." 


160  VIOLETTA 

"  Violetta  says  she  wishes  to  stay  with  me." 

"  The  little  goose  tells  a  fib.  She  is  wild  to  go  tc 
Venice ;  she  told  rae  so  a  day  or  two  ago." 

"  Well,  we  will  see."  He  rose,  and  then  said,  with 
hesitation,  "  It  will  be  an  expensive  summer, — Teplitz, 
Venice,  probably  Milan  ?" 

"  No,  Naples,"  she  said,  quietly. 

"  But,  Beatrice,  our  income " 

"Now  you  are  talking  just  as  the  husbands  do  in 
novels,"  she  laughed.  "  Go  and  grumble  elsewhere ; 
I 'am  going  to  have  my  hair  dressed." 

He  went  with  a  profound  sigh,  and  all  the  wrinkles 
that  the  sight  of  his  beautiful  wife  had  smoothed  away 
from  his  face  appeared  there  again. 

Violetta  was  seated  at  the  piano  in  the  drawing- 
room,  singing.  She  took  daily  lessons  now  of  the 
best  masters,  and,  as  there  was  no  fear  of  the  stage 
an}''  longer,  these  lessons  were  her  greatest  delight, 
for  song  was  as  native  to  her  as  to  a  bird.  It  was 
strange,  and  a  great  pity,  that  her  mother  since  she 
had  left  the  stage  could  not  bear  to  hear  any  music. 
It  was  sure  to  give  her  headache.  Violetta  had,  how- 
ever, an  enthusiastic  auditor  in  the  general,  who,  when 
he  heard  the  sweet,  long-drawn  notes,  was  sure  to  come 
into  the  next  room  with  his  papers.  He  understood 
little  of  music,  but  he  delighted  in  the  growing  force 
and  volume  of  this  fresh  young  voice,  and  was  never 
tired  of  expressing  this  delight.  Listening  to  the  joy- 
ous notes  he  forgot  his  anxieties.  And  his  Excellency 
had  anxieties,  anxieties  of  the  most  prosaic  kind,  and 
heart-troubles  besides. 

What  ?  Had  the  Beatrice  disappointed  him  ?  Had 
the  woman  for  whom  he  had  sacrificed  everything 
proved  to  be  only  a  beautiful  mask  ?     Oh,  no !  oh,  no ! 


TWO   YEARS  LATER  161 

She  was  still  the  same,  and  his  pride  in  her  was  as 
great  as  ever.  With  what  perfect  self-poise  she  had 
taken  her  place  as  mistress  of  his  house,  and  how  thor- 
oughly she  had  asserted  her  position  in  society !  Her 
little  dinners,  suppers,  and  assemblies  were  famous.  To 
be  sure,  she  needed  a  French  cook  for  these  entertain- 
ments, and  a  new  toilette  for  every  evening.  But  he 
liked  to  keep  open  house,  and  to  fill  his  life  with  social 
engagements  which  indemnified  him  somewhat  for  the 
position  he  had  resigned.  The  former  gentle  mistress 
of  his  household  had  scarcely  been  of  sufficient  per- 
sonal distinction,  at  least  thus  the  general  was  ungrate- 
ful enough  to  think,  now  that  there  stood  beside  him 
a  woman  whose  personal  endowments  matched  his 
own, — a  woman  formed  to  lead  in  society. 

Malicious  people  hinted  that  the  pi'esent  married 
life  of  General  Trefi'enbach  was  full  of  stormy  scenes, 
and  that  he  had  long  since  repented  his  hasty  step. 
But  these  kind  friends,  among  whom  were  the  Bell- 
witzes,  were  mistaken.  There  were  no  scenes  in  the 
Treffenbach  household.  The  relations  of  his  Excel- 
lency with  his  lovely  wife  were  unchanged.  She 
knew  now  as  well  as  ever  how  to  enchain  and  bewitch 
him,  and  she  was  almost  always  amiable.  She  some- 
times yawned  a  little,  but  she  could  yawn  gracefully. 
She  might  often  be  tired,  but  she  was  never  tiresome. 
She  was  now  and  then  capricious  and  exacting,  but 
with  a  certain  waywardness  that  charmed  him  while 
he  remonstrated.  She  was  sometimes  refractor}^,  but 
she  had  a  way  of  begging  for  forgiveness  and  of  bow- 
ing beneath  his  displeasure  that  disarmed  him.  She 
never  told  him  that  she  loved  him,  but  she  always 
made  him  believe  that  she  did.  She  never  forgot  her- 
self before  the  world.  Magnus  Treffenbach  would 
I  14* 


1G2  VIOLETTA 

have  felt  less  harshly  towards  her  could  he  have 
known  with  what  absolute  self-possession  she  played 
*her  Excellency.'  That  the  part  began  to  bore  her 
intensely  had  no  effect  upon  her  resolve  to  carry  it 
through  brilliantly,  for  whatever  character  Beatrice 
Fouquet  undertook  to  perform,  she  played  consci- 
entiously, identifying  herself  with  it  in  a  fashion  that 
had  exalted  her  above  other  artists  of  her  day,  and 
had  enabled  her  always  to  produce  a  harmonious 
whole. 

No,  she  had  not  disappointed  his  expectations ;  she 
had  even  exceeded  them  in  certain  regards,  and  hero 
we  come  to  the  ti"uth  of  the  matter,  to  the  cause  of  his 
grizzling  hair  and  his  anxious  look.  He  had  foreseen 
that  to  marry  Madame  Fouquet  would  be  an  expen- 
sive pleasure.  He  had  even  been  prepared  to  pay  her 
debts,  for  it  was  notorious  that,  in  spite  of  her  princely 
income,  her  finances  were  always  in  disorder.  He  was 
also  aware  that  it  would  require  his  entire  yearly  in- 
come to  live  in  a  manner  suitable  to  his  rank.  But  he 
had  no  conception  of  the  claims  that  could  be  made 
upon  life  by  a  woman  accustomed  to  a  degree  of  luxury 
which  might  be  termed  regal. 

How  could  he  know  this  ?  Frau  Louise,  the  wealthy 
heiress,  had  not  taught  him,  and  he  had  formed  hia 
ideas  of  such  claims  upon  the  sum  required  by  her  for 
her  dress  and  her  summer  excursions. 

Now  he  knew  better,  and  it  was  this  knowledge  that 
was  turning  his  hair  gray,  for  he  saw  himself  upon  the 
brink  of  an  abyss. 


TEPLITZ  163 


CHAPTEE  XVI 

TEPLITZ 

"  It  is  a  Eussian  prince  with  his  family,"  said  the 
loungers  on  the  road  between  Schönau  and  Teplitz, 
as  they  sauntered  along  after  the  bathing-hour,  to 
amuse  themselves  with  a  sight  of  the  passing  equipages 
and  the  toilettes  of  their  fair  occupants. 

"  Oh,  no ;  you  will  see  in  the  hotel  books  to-morrow 
that  it  is  a  millionaire  from  Paris,  with  a  wife  from 
California  who  owns  an  inexhaustible  gold-mine."  And 
the  speaker  turned  to  greet  a  friend  who  was  approach- 
ing. "  Yes,  my  dear  Count,  you  will  see  that  those  two 
ladies  will  be  the  reigning  beauties  of  the  season." 

An  oj^en  carriage  rolled  by,  and  the  Count,  with  an 
exclamation  of  surprise,  pulled  off  his  hat.  "  The  Tref- 
fenbachs 1"  he  said. 

"  What  ?  you  know  them  ?  Come,  this  is  interest- 
ing.    "Who  are  they,  Count  Hess  ?" 

"  General  Treffenbach,  with  his  wife  and  step-daugh- 
ter. Of  course  I  know  them.  I  must  go  immediately 
and  see  where  they  are  staying." 

He  took  leave  of  the  others  and  walked  off  rapidly. 

Treffenbach  !  He  had  heard  the  name  seldom  enough 
during  the  last  two  years.  His  correspondence  with 
Magnus  Treffenbach  had  ceased  long  since  ;  he  only 
knew  that  Magnus  had  been  travelling  and  had  then 
returned  to  St.  Petersburg.  And  was  he  married  ?  No 
intelligence  to  that  effect  had  reached  Brussels,  but  it 
would  have  cost  Hess  very  little  trouble  to  find  out  if  it. 


164  VIOLETTA 

were  so.  He  had  not  tried  to  find  out.  He  took  for 
granted  that  the  mari-iage  had  taken  place ;  it  was  the 
most  sensible  thing  to  be  done, — oh,  yes,  desperately 
sensible.  Of  course  he  had  heard  of  General  Treffen- 
bach's  maiTiage.  That  was  an  affair  discussed,  con- 
demned, excused,  justified,  far  and  wide.  Hess  him- 
self had  wasted  but  few  words  upon  it;  it  did  not 
interest  him  much. 

At  last  he  discovered  the  villa  in  which  the  guests 
in  question  from  Berlin  had  been  established  for  three 
days.  It  was  rather  secluded,  nestling  picturesquely 
among  green  trees,  and  behind  it  rose  the  wooded  slope 
of  the  mountains.  The  first  thing  that  he  saw  was 
Fräulein  Emma's  face  at  the  window.  It  looked  mel- 
ancholy, and  the  ends  of  the  kerchief  knotted  above 
her  head  stood  out  like  two  ears.  She  recognized  him, 
and  her  air  grew  more  cheerful  as  she  opened  the  door 
for  him  herself. 

"  Ah,  who  would  have  thought  of  seeing  you,  Herr 
Count !  Pray  come  in.  No  one  is  at  home  at  present, 
but  they  will  soon  return.  Ah,  Herr  Count,  they 
ought  to  have  left  me  in  Berlin  ;  this  is  no  place  for 
me,  and  what  is  to  become  of  the  household  at  home, 
and  that  cook,  there's  no  knowing." 

"  You  must  tell  me  all  about  everything,"  he  said. 
"  So  the  general  is  here  with  the  ladies  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes ;  her  Excellency  is  going  to  Yenice  from 
here,  but  Fräulein  Yioletta  wants  to  stay  with  her 
papa,  and  I  am  to  stay  with  her.  This  is  a  horrible 
place, — very  different  from  Berlin.  That  I  call  a  city 
indeed  ;  but  this  hole !  I  cannot  admire  it,  for  all  that 
Prince  Barancovich  praises  uj)  Teplitz  so." 

"  Stay ;  who  is  Prince  Barancovich  ?" 

"Oh,  good   heavens,  Herr   Count!  he's  what  you 


TE  PLITZ  165 

might  call  a  Croatian  magnate.  He  always  drives 
four-in-hand,  and  behaves  as  if  he  had  seen  all  the 
world ;  but  he's  seen  it  to  no  purpose  if  he  thinks  so 
much  of  Teplitz.  To  compare  it  with  Berlin !  And 
they  know  nothing  whatever  of  cooking  here,  either  I" 

Fräulein  Emma's  tone  of  voice  grew  more  and  more 
pathetic,  and  Hess  looked  around  the  room  to  conceal 
a  smile.  It  was  a  pretty  little  drawing-room.  Near 
a  window  stood  a  writing-table,  and  upon  it  lay  a  pink 
muslin  hat.  "  Has  Fräulein  Yioletta  turned  author  ?" 
he  asked,  to  divert  the  current  of  her  doleful  reflec- 
tions. 

"  Oh,  no,  but  she  writes  everything  for  the  general, 
who  cannot  use  his  right  hand  very  well.  Indeed,  Herr 
Count,  she  is  a  good  child ;  a  little  flighty  perhaps,  but 
a  heart  of  gold,  and  to  his  Excellency  she  is  devoted. 
Ah,  in  the  old  times " 

"  Are  the  Menardis  here  ?"  he  interrupted. 

"  Oh,  yes.  Her  Excellency  leaves  with  them  this 
evening.  There  is  a  whole  party  ;  a  daughter  of  the 
Princess,  a  Countess  Sala  Selvaggio,  with  her  husband, 
is  with  them  too.  He  lives  in  Venice.  Ah,  all  new 
names,  new  times !  In  old  times" — Fräulein  Emma 
here  put  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes — "  no  one 
would  have  dared  to  compare  Teplitz  with  Berlin." 

"  Fräulein  Emma,  you  never  sent  me  the  picture 
you  promised  me."  Something  must  be  done  to  dis- 
pel the  good  soul's  melancholy,  and  this  had  the  de- 
sired effect. 

"Ah,  Herr  Count,  my  face  is  still  a  little  swollen, 
but  the  doctor  says  it  will  soon  be  all  right,  and  then 
I  am  certainly  going  to  the  photographer's." 

"Eemember,  I  am  to  have  the  first  likeness  that  is 
taken.     I  have  waited  patiently  now  for  years,  and  I 


166  VIOLETTA 

deserve  a  reward.     One  more  question.     "What  d»,  you 
hear  from  Baron  Magnus  ?" 

"  Almost  nothing.     Ah,  he  has  not  been  near  us  for 
two  years ;  but  that's  no  wonder.     How  can  he  come 
when   he  thinks  of   her  who  is  gone?     Oh,  it  was 
enough  to  break  one's  heart  when  his  Excellency  an- 
nounced that  he  was  going  to  marry  again  I     Those 
were  the  darkest  days  of  my  life." 
"  Yes,  yes  ;  but  where  is  he  now  ?" 
"  In  Velzin.     We  saw  that  in  the  '  Gazette.'  " 
"  Have  they — have  they  any  children  ?" 
"  Who  ?"  exclaimed  the  Fräulein,  her  long  face  grow- 
ing longer  than  ever. 

"  Why,  Magnus  and  the  Baroness  Marie  Louise." 
"Good  heavens,  no!     But  if  they  had  been  married 
they  might  have  had  some." 

"  Then  they  are  not  mai*ried  ?"  He  asked  no  more 
questions,  but  became  silent  and  thoughtful.  In 
fancy,  surrounded  as  it  were  by  a  halo,  he  saw  a 
proud,  delicate  face,  crowned  by  a  diadem  of  gleaming 
gold,  white  as  a  lily  and  cold  as  marble ;  a  face  which 
had  puzzled,  attracted,  and  repelled  him  ;  a  face  which 
he  had  tried  to  banish  from  his  dreams,  which,  with 
its  crystal  clear  blue  eyes,  had  made  his  heart  beat 
wildly  more  than  once,  and  which  he  remembered 
with  mingled  indignation  and  longing. 

Fräulein  Emma  went  on  to  explain :  "  Fräulein 
Marie  Louise  could  not  make  up  her  mind  to  marry 
our  Baron  because  of  Madame  Fouquet,  you  see." 

"  Of  course,"  he  exclaimed,  rousing  as  if  from  a 
dream.  "  I  might  have  known  that ;  it  was  perfectly 
logical.  Just  like  her.  And  now,  Fräulein  Emma,  1 
must  go.  My  regards  to  their  Excellencies  and  to 
Fräulein  Yioletta,  and  tell  them  that  I  am  on  a  visit 


TEPLITZ  167 

to  vaj  parents,  who  have  come  here  for  my  mother's 
health.     I  shall  call  again." 

He  went  out,  and  on  the  road  before  the  house 
joined  a  lady  who  was  being  pushed  in  a  rolling-chair, 
beside  which  walked  an  elderly  gentleman  of  military 
carnage.  "  Who  lives  in  that  villa  that  you  came  froni 
just  now,  Armin  ?"  asked  the  lady. 

"  The  retired  General  Treffenbach." 

"  The  one  who  married  the  singer  ?  Is  she  comme  il 
faut f " 

"  As  any  princess." 

"A  very  disagreeable  affair,  however.  I  really  do 
not  know  whether  to  know  these  people  or  not." 

"  Dear  mother,"  he  said,  smiling,  "  Madame  Beatrice 
has  probably  considered  the  same  question  with  re- 
gard to  us,  and  decided  it,  too,  against  us,  for  she 
leaves  for  Venice  this  evening." 

"  That's  well,"  the  invalid  lady  rejoined,  fanning 
herself. 

The  next  day  Hess  met  the  general  going  from  the 
baths  towards  his  home.  It  struck  the  Count  that 
he  was  changed,  and  did  not  carry  himself  quite  so 
proudly  as  formerly.  He  shook  Hess  warmly  by  the 
hand,  and  instantly  asked  if  he  had  heard  lately  from 
Magnus,  adding  with  assumed  ease,  "We  are  expecting 
the  fellow  daily.    Heaven  knows  what  is  keeping  him." 

"  What  does  he  write  ?" 

"  Oh,  he  has  not  written  exactlj^,  and  that  is  why 
we  cannot  help  thinking  he  is  coming." 

They  had  reached  the  villa,  where  a  window  was 
opened,  and  a  lovely  face,  with  beaming  eyes,  looked 
out.  "No  letter  1  Poor  papa!  But  who  is  with 
you  ?  It  is  Count  Hess !  See  what  a  good  memory  I 
have  1" 


168  VIOLETTA 

In  a  few  days  *  the  little  Fouquet'  was  the  acknowl- 
edged queen  of  the  youthful  society  of  the  watering- 
place.  Various  merry  young  lieutenants  on  leave 
were  at  her  feet,  as  was  also  Prince  Branco  Baran- 
covich,  an  amiable  bachelor,  who  made  all  the  roads 
unsafe  with  his  four-in-hand,  and  placed  all  his  horses 
at  the  young  lady's  disposal.  So,  as  a  certain  Count- 
ess Doris,  a  very  lovely  woman,  and  an  enthusiastic 
horsewoman,  had  taken  Yioletta  under  her  special 
protection,  there  were  many  riding-parties,  at  which 
Count  Hess  made  one,  to  the  great  anxiety  of  his 
mother,  who  was  always  in  dread  lest  Armin  should 
make  '  some  stupid  marriage.' 

One  day  when  the  general,  whose  use  of  the  waters 
was  conscientious  to  a  fault,  came  home  from  the  baths, 
to  find  his  step-daughter  watching  for  him  as  usual 
at  the  window,  she  called  out  to  him,  "  Oh,  papa,  just 
think !  the  Countess  Doris  has  sent  jou  a  magnificent 
rose-bush !" 

At  first  he  started  ;  involuntarily  his  step  grew 
quicker,  his  face  brighter,  but  at  her  closing  words  a 
shade  of  disappointment  passed  over  his  features. 
"  Oh  !  I  thought  you  had  a  letter." 

Yioletta  came  flying  like  a  fawn  out  of  the  house, 
and  threw  herself  into  his  arms.  "  You  thought, 
papa?  Oh,  I  am  so  sorry  I  disappointed  you !"  And 
the  tears  rushed  to  her  eyes. 

"  Never  mind,  mouse,"  he  said,  as  they  entered  the 
drawing-room.     "  What  if  we  were  to  write  again  ?" 

She  looked  at  him  with  unutterable  compassion  in 
her  eyes.  How  much  those  words  must  have  cost  the 
proud  man  who,  two  years  before,  when  his  wrath 
was  hot  and  his  bliss  at  its  height,  had  replied  to  a 
letter  from  his  son  by  a  haughty  repulse ! 


TEPLITZ  169 

"  Your  letter  must  have  been  lost,  papa !"  She  did 
not  believe  this  any  more  than  did  he,  but  there  waa 
consolation  in  the  supposition. 

"  Come,"  said  the  girl,  closing  the  window  and 
placing  an  arm-chair  for  him.  "  Make  yourself  com- 
fortable, papa,  and  I  will  order  breakfast,  and  then  we 
will  write." 

The  sunshine  stole  into  the  room  through  the  green 
Venetian  blinds,  filling  it  with  a  peculiar  refulgence. 
A  ray  hovered  among  Violetta's  dark  curls,  tinging 
them  with  rich,  golden  hues.  Her  lovely  face  spoke 
comfort  even  when  her  lips  uttered  no  words,  and  as 
be  looked  at  her  with  a  sigh,  his  Excellency's  eyes 
grew  moist.  "My  child!"  he  said,  holding  out  his 
hand  to  her.  The  airy  figure  bent  over  him, — the 
girl  took  his  hand  and  carried  it  to  her  lips  with  a 
mixture  of  respect  and  tenderness. 

There  were  times  when  he  entirely  forgot  that  Yio- 
letta  was  not  his  own  daughter.  He  had  once  had  a 
daughter,  long  years  ago,  who  had  died  a  very  little 
child,  and  the  pain  of  whose  loss  he  had  never  forgotten, 
for  his  tenderness  for  her  had  been  great.  She  had 
been  permitted  to  do  many  things  denied  to  her 
brother, — she  could  come  to  her  father's  room  at  any 
time,  however  occupied  he  might  be,  and  claim  her 
place  upon  his  knee.  She  had  been  christened  Louise, 
after  her  mother,  but  he  had  nicknamed  her  mouse, 
she  was  so  tiny,  so  quiet.  For  five  years  this  little 
creature  was  '  papa's  mouse,'  and  then  the  chill  No- 
vember wind,  bringing  diphtheria  on  its  wings,  nipped 
the  tender  blossom. 

The  void  left  by  her  death  was  never  filled  for  him. 
For  years  he  never  sat  at  his  writing-table  or  di'ank 
his  early  cup  of  cofPee  without  a  sense  of  loss,  which 

H  15 


170  VIOLETT  A 

he  hardly  understood  until  Yioletta  Fouquet  came  to 
show  him  what  he  had  lacked.  She  had  gradually 
taken  the  vacant  place  in  his  heart,  and  he  had  begun 
to  mingle  the  two  individualities,  and  to  fancy  at 
times  that  his  daughter  had  grown  up.  He  might 
hide  his  anxieties  from  the  world  and  from  his  idol- 
ized wife,  but  Violetta  read  them  all  in  his  eyes. 

Suddenly  Fräulein  Emma  appeared  at  the  door,  her 
face  bathed  in  tears.  "  The  Herr  Secretary  is  come !" 
ßhe  said,  with  a  sob. 

"What?"  shouted  his  Excellency,  springing  up. 
Yioletta  threw  down  the  pen,  her  face  filled  with 
terror.  "  Papa,"  she  whispered  hurriedly,  "  I — I  am 
going  to  the  Countess  Doris !"  And  instantly  she  dis- 
appeared through  a  door  at  the  back  of  the  room.  The 
general  scarcely  heard  her  words,  for  his  son  stood  be- 
fore him.  It  was  hard  work  for  him  to  master  his  agi- 
tation, as  he  tried  in  vain  to  say  in  the  old  tone,  "  At 
last,  old  fellow !  God  bless  you !  I  have  been  really 
anxious  about  you !"  Then  they  clasped  hands,  and  as 
they  looked  in  each  other's  eyes  the  father  felt  young 
again. 

"I  only  got  3'our  letter,  sir,  the  day  before  yester- 
day," Magnus  said  at  last,  "  for  I  was  in  Berlin,  where 
I  went  to  our  house,"  he  hastened  to  say,  "  but  missed 
you  by  an  hour  only." 

"  Indeed !  And  you  found  my  letter  when  you  got 
back  to  Velzin  ?     What  were  you  doing  in  Berlin  ?" 

*'  They  have  offered  me  a  position  in  the  embassy  to 
Eio." 

"  That  report  is  true,  then !"  And  a  cloud  passed 
over  the  general's  face.  "  A  terrible  distance,  my  boy, 
after  not  having  seen  each  other  for  two  years.  'Tis 
not  pleasant  to  think  of" 


TE  PLITZ  171 

"  There  is  plenty  of  time  given  me  for  consideration, 
sir.     We'll  not  think  of  it  at  present." 

And  then  they  sat  and  talked  as  they  had  done 
in  the  old  times,  and  the  hour  glided  by  the}^  knew 
not  how.  The  general  was  gay  and  animated,  Magnus 
quiet  and  grave.  The  event  that  had  so  disturbed 
the  peace  of  his  existence  still  cast  its  shadow  over 
him;  his  views  were,  as  his  father  soon  perceived, 
scarcely  modified,  but  the  irrepressible  longing  to  be 
once  more  with  the  father  who  had  been  everj^thing  to 
him  had  for  the  time  thrust  all  other  considerations 
into  the  background.  He  meant  to  enjoy  this  meeting 
let  the  consequences  be  what  they  might.  They  both 
avoided  as  far  as  possible  any  reference  to  painful  sub- 
jects, until  the  general  saw  fit  at  the  close  of  their 
long  talk  to  say,  "And  now,  Magnus,  before  she  re- 
turns, I  should  like  to  know  what  reception  you  mean 
to  give  to  your  step-sister?" 

"  I  think  you  will  be  satisfied  with  me,  sir,"  his  son 
replied,  after  an  instant's  reflection. 

"That's  right!"  the  general  exclaimed,  greatly  re- 
lieved. "  Wherever  she  may  be  gone,  she  cannot  bo 
long  away.  We  have  an  engagement  at  one,  to  lunch 
with  some  acquaintances  at  fresco.  'Tis  a  great  bore 
on  this  special  day.     What  is  to  be  done  ?" 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  of  course  ;  but  I  must  first  go 
to  the  hotel  and  change  my  travelling-dress." 

"Be  here  again  at  one,"  his  father  called  after  him 
as  he  left  the  house. 

When  Earon  Magnus  returned,  punctually  at  the  ap- 
pointed time,  there  was  no  one  in  the  drawing-room. 
His  Excellency,  so  said  Friedrich,  was  dressing.  He  sat 
down,  and  was  turning  over  the  leaves  of  some  books, 
••"^len  suddenly  the  door  opened,  and  he  saw  upon  the 


172  VIOLETTA 

threshold  the  childlike  form  of  the  young  girl  with 
whom  he  had  promised  to  have  patience. 

She  hesitated  to  advance,  and  curtsied  with  a  ming- 
ling of  timidity  and  dignity. 

"  Good-morning,  Yioletta,"  he  said,  holding  out  his 
hand  with  somewhat  stiff  courtesy. 

"  Good-morning,"  she  rejoined,  in  a  low  voice.  Then, 
as  he  approached  her,  she  stammered  something  about 
having  forgotten  her  gloves,  and  left  him  alone  again. 

Immediately  afterwards  the  general  appeared,  hav- 
ing made  his  toilette  with  all  his  wonted  elegance. 
"  Well  ?  "Where  is  mouse  ?"  he  asked.  "  Have  you 
seen  her?" 

"  Only  for  a  moment.  She  left  the  room  immedi- 
ately." 

She  soon  returned  with  Fräulein  Emma,  and  the 
party  set  out.  Magnus  tried  several  times  during 
their  walk  to  engage  Yioletta  in  conversation,  but  she 
evidently  avoided  him ;  her  large  eyes  gazed  at  him 
with  fear  and  dislike.  She  was  silent,  and  he  could 
extort  from  her  only  monosyllabic  replies. 

The  appointed  place  of  meeting  was  a  charming 
garden  beneath  the  shade  of  huge  lindens,  where  there 
were  set  out  two  tables, — one  for  the  elder  members 
of  the  party  and  the  other  for  the  young  people. 
Here  Treffenbach  was  greeted  with  enthusiasm  by  his 
friend  Armin,  and  was  presented  to  the  other  members 
of  the  gay  circle,  among  whom  Yioletta  moved  with 
the  careless  ease  of  a  bird.  He  could  now  begin  his 
study  of  her  character,  and  he  did  so  with  earnest 
gravity.  She  had  scarcely  replied  to  his  remarks,  but 
here  she  was  the  centre  of  admiration.  Her  silvery 
laughter  harmonized  with  the  distant  music,  except 
that  it  was  more  bewitching  than  Strauss's  waltzes. 


TEPLITZ  173 

She  had  contrived,  he  saw  clearly,  to  have  her  scat  as 
far  from  him  as  possible,  but  it  was  not  on  the  same 
side  of  the  table.  They  sat  opposite  each  other  at 
either  end,  and  on  her  right  and  left  glittered  the  gay 
uniforms  of  a  couple  of  cavalry  officers.  The  other 
ladies  were  two  genial  Countesses  from  Vienna,  and 
two  fiery  little  Parisians,  the  daughters  of  a  French 
colonel  whom  wounds  received  in  the  last  war  had 
sent  hither  for  several  seasons,  and  who,  laying  aside 
all  national  hostility,  had  made  friends  with  General 
von  Treffenbach.  The  two  men,  deeply  interested  in 
the  leading  scientific  tojDics  of  the  day,  avoided  poli- 
tics, but  after  lunch  discussed  various  battles  with  the 
aid  of  toothpicks  placed  in  position  on  the  table-cloth. 
Violetta  seemed  greatly  pleased  with  the  little  bru- 
nettes Aimee  and  Hortense.  Then  there  was  the 
Countess  Doris,  with  her  husband,  the  latter  a  rather 
insignificant  scion  of  the  aristocracy. 

Among  all  these  people  Violetta's  pre-eminence 
seemed  established  without  any  effort,  almost  without 
any  consciousness,  of  her  own.  Various  plans  for  fu- 
ture excursions  were  discussed;  the  question  to  be 
settled  seeming  always  to  be  whether  Fräulein  Fou- 
quet  had  seen  this  or  that  point  of  interest,  whether 
she  approved,  and  whether  she  preferred  to  drive,  to 
ride,  or  to  walk. 

"  Let  us  ride !"  she  exclaimed,  eagerly.  "  Oh,  where 
is  Prince  Barancovich  ?  Why  is  he  not  here  ?  Ah,  there 
he  is  at  the  other  table,  Lieutenant  Cserny.  Can  you 
not  make  him  just  the  slightest  sign  to  come  to  us? 
He  must  hear  this  plan.  He  is  so  kind  and  will  give 
us  the  horses." 

"  The  slightest  sign  !  Not  needed,  Fräulein  Violetta. 
There  he  comes.     He  has  only  been  waiting  to  have 

15* 


174  VIOL  ETTA 

you  deign  to  glance  towards  him.  You  are  insati- 
able !"  Count  Hess  spoke  with  great  gravity,  and 
by  the  help  of  his  melancholy  moustache  contrived 
to  gaze  reproachfully  at  her,  before  glancing,  his  blue 
eyes  sparkling  with  merriment,  at  Magnus,  whose  air 
was  gravely  judicial.  "Here,"  he  went  on, — "here  is 
Prince  Branco.  Was  it  not  enough  to  have  us  all  at 
your  feet,  and  must  you  deprive  that  fair  widow,  Frau 
von  Kormany,  at  the  other  table,  of  the  consolation  of 
her  old  age  ?" 

But  Violetta  replied  only  by  a  preoccupied  smile. 
Her  whole  attention  was  given  to  the  pi-oposed  excur- 
sion, and  nothing  could  be  more  joyous  and  free  from 
all  affectation  than  her  thanks  to  Prince  Branco  for 
his  ready  concurrence  in  the  proposed  plan. 

At  last  the  assemblage  broke  up ;  the  general 
was  impatient  to  go  home  to  be  alone  with  his  son, 
and  Violetta  readily  accepted  an  invitation  from 
the  colonel's  daughters  to  spend  the  afternoon  with 
them. 

When  she  came  home  with  Fräulein  Emma  at  six 
o'clock,  she  slipped  noiselessly  into  the  drawing-room, 
where  the  general  sat  smoking  a  cigar  and  drumming 
a  march  with  his  fingers  on  the  arm  of  his  chair.  She 
did  not  perceive  his  son,  who  stood  at  a  window,  look- 
ing out.  Supposing  his  Excellency  to  be  alone,  she 
ran  up  to  him  and  threw  her  arms  about  him,  exclaim- 
ing, "  Oh,  papa,  I  am  so  happy  for  you !  It  will  do 
you  more  good  than  all  the  baths  in  the  world !" 

Magnus  turned  from  the  window,  and  could  see  the 
crimson  that  flushed  her  cheek  as,  becoming  aware  of 
his  presence,  she  hurried  out  of  the  room.  This  little 
intei'lude  reconciled  him  to  her  again.  He  had  watched 
her  with  scarcely-concealed  contempt  during  the  lunch ; 


TEPLITZ  175 

but  she  seemed  to  be  tender  and  kind  to  bis  father. 
It  was  a  good  trait,  something  upon  which  to  found 
the  training  which  he  was  now  quite  resolved  to  undei*- 
take.  Yes,  she  was  a  butterfly,  a  will-o'-the-wisp,  but 
the  wandering  gleam  might  in  time  become  a  pure, 
steady  flame. 

Fine  schemes,  but  very  difficult  to  carry  out,  for 
Violetta,  cheerful  and  easy  with  every  one  else,  could 
not  conquer  her  dread  of  him.  He  must  tame  her 
as  one  tames  a  shy  bird, — not  an  easy  task.  This 
week  was  a  whirl  of  entertainments.  Even  the  gen- 
eral, roused  to  new  energy,  took  part  in  them,  forget- 
ting his  i)ains.  The  usual  excursions  were  soon  ex- 
hausted ;  more  distant  estates  were  visited,  and  new 
acquaintances  were  formed ;  there  were  dinners,  sup- 
pers, and  dances.  When  Magnus  addressed  Yioletta, 
she  would  look  round  with  an  anxious  air  as  if  for 
release,  and  once  she  greeted  the  approach  of  Count 
Hess  with  such  joy,  that  if  Armin  had  been  a  cox- 
comb he  might  have  drawn  inferences  very  flattering 
to  his  vanity.  She  managed  to  have  appointments 
with  friends  when  Magnus  came  to  his  father.  He  was 
obliged,  indeed,  to  have  patience  with  her,  but  in  a 
difi^erent  way  from  any  that  he  had  imagined.  He 
knew  now  that  she  could  not  forget  his  repulse  of  her, 
and  that  it  would  cost  him  infinite  pains  to  obliterate 
that  impression.  But  he  remembered  his  promise  and 
bided  his  time. 

One  Sunday  morning  Prince  Barancovich  and  the 
Countess  Doris,  the  two  leaders  in  all  plans  for  amuse- 
ment, had  invited  Violetta  to  ride  with  them  in  the 
early  morning.  Count  Hess  was  to  make  a  fourth  in 
the  little  cavalcade.  The  day  was  glorious  ;  the  gen- 
eral, before  going  to  the  baths,  was  standing  with  his 


176  VIOLETTA 

son  on  the  veranda,  and  Yioletta,  in  a  steel-gray  habit, 
her  little  black  hat  well  over  her  eyes,  leaned  against 
the  balustrade  of  the  steps.  The  Countess  had  prom- 
ised to  call  for  her. 

"  AVell,  I  can  wait  no  longer,"  the  general  said  at 
last.   "  I  must  go.   What  are  you  going  to  do,  Magnus  ?" 

"  I  am  going  to  church,  sir,"  his  son  replied,  looking 
at  his  watch. 

Violetta,  who  had  hitherto  been  standing  motionless, 
turned  suddenly  as  if  to  ask  a  question,  but  paused  at 
sight  of  Treffenbach's  grave  face.  She  blushed  and 
looked  away. 

"  Au  revoir,  mouse,"  said  her  step-father.  "  Commend 
me  to  the  Countess,  and  tell  her  to  take  good  care  of 
you." 

With  that  he  took  his  departure,  and  Yioletta  glanced 
shyl}'-  at  the  terrible  young  man  who  now  approached 
her,  but  she  did  not  run  away. 

*'  Are  you  going  to  church  this  minute  ?"  she  asked, 
timidly. 

"  Oh,  no ;  it  does  not  begin  so  early,"  he  replied, 
having  observed  both  her  glance  and  her  blush. 

"  I  did  not  know  that  there  was  that  kind  of  a 
church  here,"  Violetta  stammered.     "  Could  I  go  ?" 

"  Certainly,"  he  replied.  "  If  you  were  not  going 
on  this  riding-party  I  would  invite  you  to  go  with 
me." 

She  hesitated  a  moment,  then  said,  with  a  sigh,  "  1 
was  in  one  of  your  churches  once  in  Berlin, — that  time 
when — when  you — you  know " 

"When  what?     I  know  nothing." 

Hie  tone  was  stern  and  cold,  and  the  effort  which 
it  cost  him  to  talk  with  her  aggravated  this  stern- 
ness.    Violetta  made  no  reply,  but  he  was  determined 


TEPLITZ  177 

not  to  let  this  opportunity  slip,  and  he  repeated  his 
question  in  a  gentler  tone. 

"When  you  carried  me  out  of  the  church,"  she 
answered. 

"Was  that  you?"  he  asked,  amazed.  "I  had  no 
idea  of  it." 

"  Am  I  so  changed  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know.  I  did  not  really  see  you  then.  I 
think  you  had  on  a  veil." 

Violetta  was  silent  again.  His  thoughts  wandered 
back  to  the  details  of  that  little  adventure,  and  he 
gathered  from  them  hope  for  the  future.  "  Violetta," 
he  began,  after  a  pause,  "  can  you  not  tell  me  why  you 
are  so  afraid  of  me  ?" 

She  turned  away ;  even  the  little  ear  that  showed 
beneath  her  dark  curls  was  crimson. 

"  Well  ?"  he  asked,  gravely,  but  gently,  as  he  ap- 
proached her.  "  I  mean  kindly  by  you ;  far  more 
kindly  than  the  others  who  would  fain  ruin  you  with 
flattery." 

"  But  you  are  so  hard  !  And  I  cannot  forget  how 
you  repulsed  me  two  j^ears  ago.  I  had  done  you  no 
harm." 

"  No  harm !"  he  repeated,  slowly.  "  Child,  you  do 
not  know  what  3''ou  are  saying.  We  had  better  not 
talk  of  that  matter.  Perhaps  a  time  may  come  when 
you  will  understand.  Now  let  us  begin  afresh, — shall 
we  not  ?  Give  me  your  hand,  Violetta ;  I  wish  to 
befriend  you  like  a  brother." 

Timidly,  and  with  hesitation,  she  placed  her  hand 
in  his,  but  she  did  not  look  at  him  ;  her  eyes  sought 
the  road  beneath  the  trees,  as  if  in  hopes  of  the  arrival 
of  her  friends. 

"You  are  a  spoiled  child,  Violetta,"  ho  said,  with 
m 


IVB  VIOLETTA 

Bome  bitterness.  "  You  stand  in  need  of  a  friend  to 
tell  you  the  truth,  to  warn  you,  to  guard  you  from 
harm ;  but  I  am  almost  afraid  it  will  be  labour  in 
vain.  You  shrink  from  those  who  do  not  flatter  3'ou 
and  say  smooth  things  to  you." 

Tears  rushed  to  her  eyes,  but  through  their  veil  she 
suddenly  looked  up  at  him  and  clasped  her  hands. 
"  Oh,  I  know,  I  know !  I  am  thoughtless  and  foolish, 
and  there  is  no  one  to  tell  me  when  I  do  wrong.  But 
indeed  I  will  do  my  best,  and  listen  to  what  you  say, 
however  bitter  it  may  be.  Tell  me  my  faults,  and  I 
will  be  grateful  to  you." 

"  Come,  that  sounds  well,  and  I  am  glad  to  hear  it. 
Answer  me  one  question,  pray.  How  would  you  feel 
if  all  those  who  now  flatter  you  were  suddenly  to 
blame  you  ;  if  no  one  took  any  more  notice  of  you ;  if 
no  one  petted  you,  or  hastened  to  fulfil  your  desires  ?" 

Her  eyes  opened  wide.  "  It  would  be  dreadful,"  she 
said,  "  I  like  to  hear  pleasant  things,  and  I  cannot 
hear  enough  of  them.     Is  that  wrong '?" 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  curtly ;  "  and  it  may  lead  to  worse. 
Now  you  are  but  a  child,  Yioletta,  and  have  no  aim 
save  amusement,  but  in  a  few  years,  if  you  go  on  feed- 
ing this  frivolous  desire  for  admiration,  you  will  not 
care  how  many  hearts  you  crush  beneath  the  chariot- 
wheels  of  your  vanity." 

She  looked  at  him  speechless.  Suddenly  the  tramp 
of  horses'  feet  was  heard.  Prince  Barancovich,  lead- 
ing Violetta's  saddled  steed  by  the  bridle,  came  first, 
and  halted  before  the  villa.  The  girl  hurried  down 
the  steps,  looking  as  if  stunned  b}'"  a  blow,  was  lifted 
by  the  Prince  into  her  saddle,  and  the  whole  caval- 
cade galloped  off.  Treffenbach  stood  still  and  listened. 
He  heard  Armin's  loud,  jovial  tones  and  the  pleasant 


TEI'LITZ  179 

voice  of  the  Countess  Doris,  but  not  that  soft,  silvery 
laughter.  With  an  indescribably  uncomfortable  sen- 
sation he  went  into  the  house.  He  seemed  to  himself 
almost  like  a  murderer.  He  was  restless  and  discon- 
tented. He  went  to  his  hotel  and  tried  to  read,  but 
could  not  fix  his  attention.  He  went  to  church,  and 
here  it  wandered  also. 

After  the  service  was  over  he  again  repaired  to  the 
villa  to  see  his  father,  arriving  just  in  time  to  witness 
the  return  of  the  riding-party.  Violetta  glided  past 
him  like  a  shadow.  The  Countess  Doris  called  from 
her  horse  to  the  general  through  the  open  window, 
"  What  has  your  Excellency  been  doing  with  your 
daughter?  She  has  looked  as  if  she  were  just  ready 
to  burst  into  tears  all  through  our  ride." 

With  that  they  rode  off.  The  general  had  not 
heard  her  words,  but  Magnus  had,  and  he  paced  the 
room  restlessly.  At  last  he  could  endure  his  suspense 
no  longer.  He  knocked  at  the  door  of  Frcäulein 
Emma's  sitting-room,  and  entering,  found  Violetta  sit- 
ting in  the  window-seat,  still  in  her  riding-habit.  She 
had  only  taken  off  her  hat.  Her  eyes  showed  that 
she  had  been  crying,  and  she  looked  at  him  from  be- 
neath her  dishevelled  curls  with  positive  terror, — for 
what  was  coming  now  ? 

But,  to  her  surprise,  nothing  came  but  soothing, 
gentle  words.  He  almost  begged  for  forgiveness.  He 
told  her  she  must  not  be  angry  with  him  if  he  had 
been  too  harsh.  He  did  not  know  her  yet,  that  was 
the  reason.  He  had  not  thought  she  would  take  his 
words  so  deeply  to  heart,  and  in  future  he  would  tell 
her  of  her  faults  in  the  very  kindest  manner. 

Her  face  cleared  up  like  a  day  in  spring.  This 
voice,  this  tone,  were  a  change  indeed. 


180  VIOLETT  A 

At  last  the  general  opened  the  door.  "  What  con- 
fidential discourse  is  ffoins;  on  here  ?"  he  cried. 

"  We  have  contracted  a  friendship,"  said  Treffen- 
bach. 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  the  general,  delighted. 

"  And,  papa,  he  is  going  to  tell  me  all  my  faults," 

The  general  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  and  looked 
at  his  son  with  a  curious  expression.  "  You're  a  good 
fellow,  Magnus,  but  you're  a  terrible  Philistine,"  he 
said  in  high  good  humour. 

Treffenbach  found  it  beneath  his  dignity  to  reply. 
During  the  remainder  of  the  day  he  pondered  over 
educational  schemes  that  would  have  done  honour  to  a 
Pestalozzi. 


CHAPTEE    XYII 


GAMALIEL 


The  rain  was  pouring  down  in  torrents.  Count 
Hess,  coming  out  of  the  door  of  his  hotel  with  a 
gigantic  umbrella,  ran  against  another  umbrella. 
"  Oho,  Treffenbach  I  Whither  so  early  and  in  such  a 
hurry  ?" 

*•  To  my  father,"  replied  this  excellent  son. 

"  How  is  it  that  in  spite  of  this  detestable  weather 
you  are  so  much  more  amiable— what  shall  I  say  ? — 
so  much  more  docile  than  usual  ?  But  I  forgot.  You 
always  behave  exactly  as  other  people  do  not.  While 
we  commonplace  souls  fluttered  gayly  in  the  sunshine, 
you  walked  about  like  a  gloomy  Alva.     To-day,  when 


GAMALIEL  181 

everybody  is  crawling  about  in  a  bad  temper,  you  are 
marching  through  the  rain  with  elastic  step  and  head 
held  proudly  erect.  By  the  way,  has  Fräulein  Yio- 
letta  recovered  her  spirits,  and  what  was  the  reason 
for  her  riding  beside  me  yesterday  like  a  '  rose  freshly 
washed  in  a  shower'  ?" 

"  Beside  you  ?"  Treffenbach  inquired,  sharply.  "  I 
thought  that  old  Prince  was  her  escort?" 

"  A  very  graphic  description  of  a  hopeful  suitor. 
"No,  he  devoted  himself  on  this  occasion  to  the  Count- 
ess Doris,  for  I  was  there  I"  And  the  Count  tapped 
his  breast  as  he  spoke. 

A  pause  ensued.  They  walked  on  through  the  rain, 
which  poured  in  streams  from  their  umbrellas. 

"  Magnus,"  Hess  began  at  last,  "  to  leave  jest  for 
earnest,  pray  answer  me  one  question.  You  were 
once  betrothed.  I  hear  that  you  are  so  no  longer. 
Is  this  so  ?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  so." 

"  And  has  been  so  for  two  years  ?" 

*'  For  two  years." 

"  And  Fräulein  von  Plattow  is  still  unmarried  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"Will  you  allow  me  to  woo  her?"  Count  Hess 
asked,  looking  askance  at  his  friend,  as  he  had  done 
formerly  when  he  asked  the  same  question. 

Treffenbach  started.  "  It  is  not  for  me  to  allow," 
he  replied  at  last.  "  I  have  no  further  relations  with 
my  cousin." 

Count  Hess  bowed,  as  if  in  thanks. 

"But  have  you  any  hope  that  she  will  listen  to 
you?"  Magnus  asked,  still  more  amazed. 

"  No.  I  anticipate  a  refusal.  Nevertheless,  I  mean 
to  try." 

16 


182  VIOLETTA 

"  You  do  not  lack  courage,  I  must  say.  I  hear  she 
has  declined  numerous  proposals,  and  J^ou, — you  are 
the  last  man  whom  she  would  accept.  Besides,  they 
told  me  at  Yelzin  that  my  uncle  is  out  of  health,  and 
they  are  probably  going  to  some  watering-place.  So 
you  must  hurry." 

Count  Hess  said  nothing.  lie  seemed  lost  in 
thought. 

"You  really  must  make  haste,"  Trcifenbach  begau 
again.  It  had  suddenly  occurred  to  him  that  it  would 
be  an  essential  aid  in  Yioletta's  education  to  have  this 
dangerous  fellow  removed.  He  had  a  way  of  flatter- 
ing her  which  certainly  would  turn  her  head. 

Ho  forgot  that  Yioletta  had  been  surrounded  by 
flatterers  ever  since  she  could  walk  and  talk,  and  that 
she  was  too  accustomed  to  such  homage  as  the  Count's 
for  it  to  make  any  impression  upon  her. 

"  I  think,"  Count  Hess  said,  slowly,  "  that  I  shall 
write  first,  but  not  to-day." 

Treff'enbach  was  not  greatly  edified,  and  Hess  bade 
him  good-morning,  leaving  him  to  pursue  his  peda- 
gogue train  of  thought.  Yes,  she  was  worldly,  her 
mind  was  filled  with  the  germs  of  evil,  but  he  could 
not  but  admit  that  circumstances  had  been  most  to 
blame.  She  had  been  systematically  spoiled,  but  her 
impulses  were  good.  Frau  Ehrhardt  was  right.  Well, 
his  patience  should  not  fail. 

Never  did  a  shej)herd  climb  a  mountain  to  rescue  a 
sheep  from  among  thorns  with  more  eager  resolution, 
forgetting  that  the  higher  he  climbed  the  deeper  grew 
the  abyss  at  his  feet. 

The  general  was  at  the  baths ;  Fräulein  Emma  and 
Violetta  were  in  the  drawing-room,  weary  of  the  rain. 
The  young  girl  looked  up  timidly  at  the  visitor,  and 


GAMALIEL  183 

yet  in  her  eyes  there  was  somethin<^  of  the  expec- 
tation with  which  a  child  looks  forward  to  a  visit 
from  Santa  Claus, — he  is  terrible  for  naughty  little 
ones,  but  he  is  sure  to  have  something  pretty  for  the 
good. 

To-day,  however,  the  general's  return  put  a  speedy 
stop  to  educational  schemes,  and  again  Magnus  was 
forced  to  admit  that  his  step-sister's  gentle  care  of  his 
father,  her  quiet  womanly  way  of  anticipating  all  his 
wants,  were  strangely  inconsistent  with  the  worldly 
character  which  he  had  attributed  to  her.  The  rain 
was  forgotten.  Treffenbach  found  the  morning  won- 
derfully short,  and  not  until  he  set  out  again  for  his 
hotel  did  he  notice  how  dai-k  and  gloomy  were  the 
skies. 

The  family  from  the  villa  dined  daily,  when  not 
absent  upon  parties  of  pleasure,  at  the  table-d'hote  of 
the  house  where  Magnus,  and  his  friend  Hess  with 
his  parents,  were  staying ;  and  the  sight  of  the  Count 
opposite  him  at  table  recalled  to  his  mind  the  fact 
that  he  was  now  his  rival ;  that  he  was  about  to  be 
Marie  Louise's  suitor,  an  aspirant  for  that  harmonious 
happiness  which  had  once  been  the  dream  of  his  own 
life. 

He  had  really  forgotten  all  about  it  until  now,  and 
when  he  saw  his  friend  leaning  towards  Violetta,  and 
heard  her  gay  replies  to  him,  his  only  sensation  was 
that  of  impatience.  What  was  Hess  waiting  for?  Why 
did  he  not  go  to  Eavenhorst  immediately  ?  It  would 
be  much  better  for  Violetta's  peace  of  mind. 

He  soon  discovered  that  he  was  not  the  only  one  who 
noticed  the  disturbing  element.  The  invalid  Countess 
Hess  was  watching  her  son  narrowly.  After  dinner, 
while  the  general,  the  old  Count  Hess,  and  Colonel 


184  VI  OLE  TT  A 

Dubois  were  playing  a  game  of  cards,  and  the  young 
people,  standing  in  a  window-recess  with  their  backs 
to  the  rain,  were  chatting  together,  the  invalid  called 
Baron  TreflPenbach  to  her  where  she  was  seated  by 
another  window  in  her  wheeled  chair.  "  A  charming 
girl,  your — step-sister,"  she  said,  looking  steadily  at 
him  ;  "  really  charming." 

"  She  certainly  is,"  he  replied,  coldly. 

"  Eather  dangerous  for  your  sex,  eh  ?  Armin  raves 
about  her.  I  am  fully  prepared  to  hear  of  his  laying 
his  freedom  at  her  feet." 

"Hardl}^,"  Magnus  replied,  hastily.  "You  forget 
that  she  was  trained  for  the  ballet." 

"  Oh,  indeed !     But  she  never  appeared  in  public  ?" 

"  She  did  appear." 

"  Ah  !  that  troubles  me  !" 

Treffenbach  said  to  himself,  "And  me  too!"  but  he 
bit  his  lip  and  was  silent.  As  the  Countess  perceived 
that  she  had  here  an  all}^,  she  went  on  more  confiden- 
tially :  "  Armin  is  always  so  thoughtless.  I  wish  he 
would  take  example  by  you.  I  greatly  fear  that  while 
he  is  thinking  only  of  amusing  himself,  that  little  sor- 
ceress will  turn  his  head." 

The  result  of  this  was  that  Treffenbach  resolved  to 
write  to  his  uncle  Plattow  on  the  morrow  and  set 
forth  the  excellencies  of  his  friend.  He  reflected  that 
there  was  something  grand  and  noble  in  this  resolve. 
He,  the  rejected  lover,  would  woo  for  his  friend.  Such 
conduct  it  would  be  difficult  to  parallel. 

Instead  of  waiting  until  the  morrow,  that  very  even- 
ing he  carried  to  his  friend  a  carefully-written  letter. 
The  Count  had  a  small  room  at  the  end  of  the  corridor 
where  his  parents  were  lodged.  This  room  was  now 
filled  with    tobacco-smoke,   and   its   occupant,  in   his 


GAMALIEL  185 

shirt-sleeves,  lay  stretclied  out  on  the  sofa,  with  his 
feet  on  the  small  table  before  it. 

"  What  are  you  about,  Iless  ?"  Magnus  asked,  with 
some  irritation,  for  this  picture  did  not  exactly  har- 
monize with  the  one  he  had  just  drawn  of  his  friend 
in  his  letter  to  his  uncle. 

Hess  sprang  up,  and  blew  away  the  smoke  that  he 
might  see  who  was  coming. 

"  I  have  been  trying  to  smooth  the  way  for  you  at 
Eavenhorst,"  said  Magnus,  laying  the  letter  on  the 
table. 

"What?  Have  you  been  writing?  You  are  a 
splendid  fellow !"  the  Count  said,  opening  the  window 
that  the  smoke  might  escape.  "  There's  a  classic 
touch  about  you,  Magnus.  You  behave  like  a  citizen 
of  the  old  Eoman  Eepublic.     May  I  read  it  ?" 

"  Of  course.  I  will  send  this  letter  to-night,  and 
yours  can  follow  to-morrow." 

Hess  read,  and  began  to  laugh.  "  Superb !  old  fel- 
low. But  I  really  cannot  go  on  without  blushing. 
There,  take  it ;  I  will  not  read  any  more." 

"  There  is  not  an  exaggerated  expression  in  it.  If 
it  were  not  fundamentally  true  you  would  not  be  my 
friend." 

"  Oh,  I'm  a  splendid  fellow,  no  doubt  of  that.  I'm 
glad  you've  come  to  see  it  at  last." 

The  next  morning,  when  Trelfenbach  went  to  the 
villa,  Violetta  was  standing  on  the  door-steps,  looking 
impatiently  down  the  road.  The  leaves  were  still 
dripping,  for  it  had  rained  during  the  night,  and  there 
were  still  clouds  here  and  there  in  the  skies. 

"  The  weather  is  doubtful,"  she  said,  "  and  I  do  not 
know  whether  the  Countess  will  come  for  me  or  not. 
I  wish  she  did  not  mind  the  clouds." 

16* 


186  VIOLETTA 

"  It  would  be  far  healthier  to  take  a  pleasant  walk," 
Treffenbach  said.  "And  besides,  Violetta,  to  speak 
frankly,  these  riding-parties  are  not  to  my  taste. 
Apparently  you  are  under  the  care  of  the  Countess 
Doris,  who  I  have  no  doubt  is  an  excellent  person,  but 
in  reality  you  are  left  entirely  to  the  not  very  edifying 
conversation  of  my  friend  Armin." 

"  Is  that  wrong  ?"  she  asked,  with  an  evident  desire 
to  learn,  looking  him  full  in  the  face. 

"  It  is — hm  ! — superfluous." 

"  I  like  him  so  much ;  he  is  so  kind  and  genial ; 
always  merry  and  always  courteous." 

"  My  child,  what  exaggerated  expressions !  Come, 
get  your  hat,  and  ask  Fräulein  Emma  to  go  to  walk 
with  you." 

"  It  is  very  damp,  and  I  do  not  want  to  go  very 
much." 

"  An  excellent  opportunity  for  self-discipline." 

She  looked  at  him  thoughtfully.  "  Well,  then,  I 
will  go.     "Will  you  come  too  ?"  she  added,  timidly. 

"  With  pleasure." 

She  looked  uncertain  whether  to  be  glad  or  not. 
He  instantly  observed  it.  "  Violetta,  I  thought  we 
were  to  be  friends ;  and  you  are  still  afraid  of  me." 

"  No,  no ;  I  am  sure  you  are  kind.  I  will  go  and 
get  Emma,  and — we  shall  be  at  home  again  by  the 
time  papa  comes  fi'om  his  bath,  shall  we  not  ?" 

"  Assuredly." 

Fräulein  Emma  sighed  in  secret,  but  she  consented 
to  go.  Treffenbach  took  them  a  very  pretty  walk 
up  the  mountain-side.  When  a  breeze  stirred  the 
branches  the  drops  showered  down  upon  them,  and 
Violetta  laughed.  They  reached  a  charming  point  of 
view,  from  which  they  could  see  far  doAvn  the  valley, 


GAMALIEL  187 

and  here  all  three  stood  still,  as  silent  as  they  had 
been  on  the  way  hither.  At  last  Violetta  said,  half 
in  play,  half  in  entreaty,  "  And  now  we  can  go  back !" 

"  ISTo  indeed,"  said  Treffenbach,  gravely.  "  You 
must  have  a  fine  idea  of  a  sensible  walk." 

"  I  am  a  little  tired ;  this  last  gay,  crowded  week 
has  tired  me." 

"A  walk  is  the  best  remedy  for  fatigue  of  that 
kind." 

And  on  they  went.  Fi-äulein  Emma  groaned.  Her 
loose  galoshes  slipped  about  among  the  damp  roots  of 
the  trees  that  were  interlaced  on  the  pathway.  Tref- 
fenbach strode  on  in  front.  Violetta  was  silent,  and 
looked  a  little  pale.  As  she  did  not  say  anything,  he 
turned  to  her  at  last :  "  Will  you  go  to  church  with 
me  next  Sunday, — to  my  church  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  said  quickly.  "  You  know  my 
father's  mother  was  a  Protestant,  and  ever  since  that 
time  in  Berlin  I  have  wanted  to  go  to  a  church  like 
that." 

"  But  that  is  not  exactly''  my  church." 

"  What  is  the  difference  ?     I  am  so  very  ignorant." 

"The  difference?  Well,  the  difference  cannot  be 
explained  in  a  few  words.  But  I  could  teach  you 
about  it." 

"  I  would  much  rather  have  you  tell  me  the  right, 
and  what  I  ought  to  do." 

"  Impossible !  In  such  matters  all  must  reflect, 
study,  compai'e,  and  choose  for  themselves." 

"  Ah,  good  heavens !"  sighed  the  child  of  the  Milan 
La  Scala  and  of  Italy's  sunny  skies. 

Treffenbach  could  not  help  smiling.  "  Study  would 
be  hard  for  you,  would  it  not?"  he  asked. 

"  I  am  afi-aid  it  would." 


188  VI  OLE  TT  A 

"  Well,  we  will  see.     You  may  come  to  like  it." 

They  paused  and  waited  for  Fräulein  Emma,  who 
came  on  panting.  The  sun  had  scattered  the  clouds 
for  a  time  at  least,  and  the  valley  at  their  feet  lay  glit- 
tering as  if  bathed  in  dew.  Every  leaf  was  sprinkled 
with  jewels.  Violetta  gazed,  lost  in  the  beauty  before 
her,  and  then  looked  \ip  at  her  companion  with  a  con- 
fiding smile.  The  distant  toll  of  a  bell  broke  the  spell 
of  her  happy  silence.  "  Some  one  is  dead,"  she  said. 
"Ah,  how  unhappy  to  have  to  die!" 

Here  was  a  fine  opportunity  for  some  edifying  re 
marks,  but  none  occurred  to  Treffenbach. 

"  Shall  we  turn  back  now  ?"  Violetta  asked,  at  last. 

"No,  we  must  reach  that  point  up  there  if  you 
mean  to  take  what  can  be  called  a  walk." 

She  obeyed  silently,  and  trudged  on  bravely  for  a 
while ;  but  when  Magnus,  arrived  at  the  goal,  looked 
round,  he  saw  that  Violetta  instead  of  Emma  was  now 
the  last.  It  vexed  him.  Was  she  still  regretting  the 
riding-party  ?     She  was  obstinate,  then. 

"  Violetta !"  he  called,  sternly. 

She  looked  up,  trying  to  smile,  but  her  face  was 
colourless  and  her  eyes  were  dull.  Suddenly  she 
clasped  her  arms  about  the  slender  trunk  of  a  tree, 
trying  to  hold  herself  upright  by  it,  but  she  slipped 
down,  her  hands  lost  their  hold,  and  the  next  instant 
she  was  lying  motionless  upon  the  thick  moss. 

He  was  startled,  and  hurrying  down,  kneeled  beside 
her.  "  What  is  the  matter  ?"  he  asked,  looking  up  for 
aid  to  Fräulein  Emma. 

"It  is  only  my  foot,"  Violetta  murmured,  bravely 
fighting  against  the  fainting-fit  that  made  the  day 
grow  dark  about  her.  "  It  is  of  no  consequence ;  it 
will  soon  be  better." 


GAMALIEL  189 

"Poor  child!  Lean  your  head  upon  my  shoulder; 
80.  Wait  a  moment.  Where  is  your  handkerchief?" 
He  took  it  and  pressed  it  down  into  the  wet  moss, 
which  soon  drenched  the  delicate  cambric,  and  he  then 
bound  it  about  her  forehead.  It  was  the  only  thing  to 
do  that  he  (iould  think  of,  and  it  was  eifectual. 

"  Thanks,  thanks,"  said  Violetta.  "  I  can  see  now. 
You  are  very  kind.  " 

"  When  I  was  young,"  Fräulein  Emma  remarked, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes,  "the  cousin  of  one  of  my 
friends  dropped  down  dead  when  she  was  taking  a 
walk  one  day." 

This  enlivening  anecdote  called  forth  a  faint  smile 
from  Violetta,  but  Treffenbach  shuddered.  That  pale 
little  face,  with  half-closed  eyes,  suggested  death  and 
dying.  "  And  you  walked  on  so  obediently,  and  never 
said  a  word  about  the  pain." 

"  It  came  so  gradually.  It  always  comes  when  I 
have  that  tired  feeling.  It  is  all  the  fault  of  the  gay 
week ;  it  really  is  of  no  consequence.  It  is  better 
already." 

"  But  you  cannot  get  up." 

"  Not  yet,  I  am  afraid." 

"What  is  to  be  done?  You  cannot  have  grown 
much  heavier  in  these  two  years,  Violetta.  I  will 
carry  you  down  the  mountain." 

"  Oh,  no,  no !  I  am  far  too  heavy  now.  Send  up 
some  men  with  a  litter ;  that  can  easily  be  done." 

"  But  the  moss  and  the  grass  are  drijDping  wet,  ana 
that  cloud  looks  like  rain." 

"In  Pinczow,  where  I  was  born,"  Fräulein  Emma, 
remarked,  wiping  her  eyes,  "  a  girl  once  died  of  sitting 
out  on  the  wet  grass." 

"  There,  you  hear,"  said  Treffenbach ;  and  without 


190  VIOLETT  A 

more  ado  he  lifted  her  in  his  arms  and  carried  her 
down  the  mountain-side.  But  he  did  not  propose  to 
her  to  clasp  her  arms  about  his  neck,  and  when  the 
wind  blew  one  of  her  dark  curls  against  his  cheek,  his 
face  flushed  so  that  Violetta  said,  reproachfully,  "You 
see  now,  I  am  too  heavy  for  you." 

"  Nonsense !"  he  replied. 

Thus  they  reached  the  villa,  where  Treffenbach  re- 
ceived his  father's  reproof  with  exemplar}^'  meekness. 
In  consequence  of  this  expedition  Violetta  was  obliged 
to  lie  on  the  lounge  and  take  care  of  her  foot  for  sev- 
eral days. 

Magnus  blamed  himself,  and  accused  himself  of 
heartlessness  for  being  so  satisfied  as  he  was  with  this 
arrangement.  He  now  had  an  excellent  opportunity 
for  explaining  to  Yioletta,  as  he  had  promised,  the  dif- 
ferences between  the  various  Protestant  doctrines. 
The  first  day,  to  be  sure,  this  was  impossible,  for  sym- 
pathizing visitors  were  perpetually  appearing,  and  the 
Countess  Doris  took  up  her  post,  in  true  maternal 
fashion,  by  the  side  of  the  lounge,  and  made  herself  as 
odious,  Treifenbach  thought,  as  she  was  useful. 

The  next  day,  however,  he  seated  himself,  fortified 
with  several  learned-looking  books,  by  the  window, 
and  began  his  lesson  as  the  general  left  for  the  bath. 
When  his  Excellency  returned  he  heard  the  murmur 
of  a  reading  voice  through  the  open  window,  and 
entering  the  room,  he  saw  his  son  still  seated  at 
the  window,  his  right  hand  slightly  raised  as  if  to 
give  emphasis  to  his  words,  a  book  in  his  left  hand 
and  another  on  his  knee.  He  was  reading  aloud, 
slowly  and  distinctly,  while  Fräulein  Emma,  kneel- 
ing on  the  floor,  was  gathering  up  the  contents  of 
her  work-basket,  which  had  upset.     On  the  sofa  lay 


GAMALIEL  191 

Violetta,  her  head  resting  on  the  cushion,  sleeping 
sweetly. 

His  Excellency  began  to  laugh.  Magnus  put  doAvn 
his  book  and  looked  about  him  with  a  surprised  air. 
Violetta  opened  her  eyes,  and  seemed  as  ashamed  and 
terrified  as  a  naughty  child.  "Oh,  dear!"  she  mur- 
mured, glancing  towards  the  clock.  "  I — I  have  slept 
an  hour!  Ah,  don't  be  vexed!  I  had  such  a  lovely 
dream  about  heaven  and  my  guardian  angel.  Was 
there  not  something  about  that  in  the  book  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Magnus. 

"  Ah,  don't  be  vexed !"  she  begged  again. 

And  Magnus  was  not  vexed.  He  had  promised  to 
be  patient ;  it  was  thus  that  he  excused  to  himself  his 
forbearance  in  view  of  such  levity.  He  had  been 
reading  aloud  for  an  hour  to  the  chairs  and  tables,  and 
to — what  was  much  the  same  thing — Fräulein  Emma ; 
his  carefully  emphasized  theological  definitions  had 
been  lost  on  the  air;  but  how  could  he  expect  that  this 
fluttering  butterfly  could  be  transformed  in  a  day  into 
a  grave,  thoughtful  girl  ä  la  Marie  Louise  ? 

He  should  have  to  read  to-day's  discourse  all  over 
again  on  the  morrow ;  but,  after  all,  that  was  hardly 
to  be  regretted. 

In  short,  he  felt  himself  possessed  of  the  long-suffex- 
ing  of  a  genuine  pedagogue,  as  he  followed  his  father 
to  his  room. 

"  What  amusing  book  have  you  found,  my  dear  boy, 
to  keep  Violetta  so  brisk  and  wide  awake  ?"  his  Ex- 
cellency asked,  in  high  good  humor, — "  a  ghost-stoiy 
from  the  circulating  library  ?" 

"She  herself  begged  me  to  explain  to  her  the  differ- 
ences between  the  various  Protestant  sects,"  Troffen- 
bach  replied,  gravely.    "  She  is,  as  you  know,  a  Catho- 


192  VIOLETTA 

lie,  but  hev  father's  inothei*  was  a  Calvinist,  slic  tells 
me,  which  gives  her  an  interest  in  Protestantism,  and 
she  asked  me,  since  Fräulein  Emma  is  also  a  Catholic, 
to  take  her  on  Sunday  to  oxir  church." 

"  You  mean  the  Lutheran  ?  Will  that  not  be  rather 
confusing?"  And  the  general  lighted  a  cigar.  "But 
do  not  let  me  interfere  with  your  system  of  instruction. 
The  kind  of  mathematical  theology  to  which  you  are 
treating  her  can  do  her  no  harm,  for  she  does  not  un- 
derstand one  word  of  it." 


CHAPTER  XYIII 

BRIGHT   SKIES   IN   SPITE   OF   CLOUDS 

"  Come  out  here,  mouse ;  here  is  a  surprise  for  you !" 
the  general  called  in  at  the  open  drawing-room  window. 

It  was  a  surprise  indeed !  There  stood  a  dear  old 
friend, — a  lovely  creature  that  two  years  previously 
had  been  fed  by  Yioletta  on  sugar  and  bonbons,  and 
that  had  in  return  carried  her  swiftly  and  safely  on 
its  back. 

"  Montresor !"  the  girl  exclaimed  in  high  glee,  as 
with  a  light  spring  from  the  hall  steps  she  sat  on  the 
brown,  shining  back  and  clasped  her  arms  about  the 
favourite's  slender  neck. 

Now  it  would  have  been  quite  reasonable  for  Tref- 
fenbach to  be  annoyed  by  this  feat, — this  reminiscence 
of  pink  gauze  petticoats  ;  but  he  only  smiled. 

"May  I  ride  him?"  Yioletta  asked,  eagerly.  "Did 
you  send  for  him  for  that,  eh  ?" 


BRIGHT  SKIES  IN  SPITE   OF  CLOUDS         193 

"jffe  is  a  mare,"  said  the  general. 

"  Why,  then,  did  you  give  her  that  masculine-sound- 
ing name  ?" 

"  I  did  not  give  it  to  her,"  Magnus  replied,  hastily. 
"  But  why  should  it  sound  masculine  ?  My  treasure 
is — well,  it  does  not  sound  to  me  as  if  it  meant  a  man." 

"  Bravo  !"  laughed  his  Excellency. 

From  this  time  on  all  the  excursions  Yioletta  rode 
the  brown  mare,  and  since,  as  Magnus  discovered,  the 
creature  had  a  trick  of  shying,  he  usually  rode  beside 
her.  From  this  point  of  view  matters  wore  a  very 
different  aspect  from  that  which  they  had  presented 
to  him  before.  "When  those  beaming  looks,  that  gay 
talk,  were  all  for  him,  he  could  not  find  it  in  his  heart 
to  remind  her  that  it  was  wrong  to  allow  her  heart  to 
cleave  to  the  worthless  gauds  of  this  world.  And  what 
would  have  become  of  the  charm  of  these  bright  morn- 
ings if  he  could  not  have  heard  that  delicious  laughter 
in  which  her  whole  individuality  seemed  to  be  trans- 
lated into  music  ? 

The  general  was  infinitely  amused  by  all  this,  but 
he  took  good  care  not  to  make  his  amusement  too 
apparent  to  his  son.  Violetta  once  heard  him  laugh 
aloud  in  his  room,  and  she  ran  in  to  him,  put  her 
hands  upon  his  shoulders,  and  said,  "Are  we  not 
haj)py,  papa  ?" 

*'  I  think  we  are,  mouse." 

"  We  have  even  forgotten  our  cares,  papa." 

"  We'll  not  mention  those  old  monsters,  child.  All 
I  think  of  now  is  that  I  have  both  my  children  with 
me,  and  that  when  mamma  comes  back  our  happiness 
promises  to  be  perfect." 

*'  Oh !"  ci-ied  Yioletta,  solemnly  raising  both  hands. 
"Happiness!  happiness!" 
in  17 


194  VIOLETTA 

"  Ah,  you  gypsy,  what  do  you  know  ahout  it  ?" 

"Happiness  is  love!"  she  answered  with  dignity, 
and  there  was  an  indescribable  glow  upon  the  child- 
like features.     "  Why  do  you  laugh,  papa  ?" 

"  I  should  really  like  to  know  whom  you  love." 

She  confronted  him  with  extended  arms  and  spark- 
ling eyes.     "  The  whole  world !" 

«  Aha,  indeed  ?" 

"  Now  you  are  laughing  at  me,  papa." 

"No,  no.  Heaven  keep  you  just  as  you  are!  And 
now  let  us  take  a  drive." 

She  ran  away  singing,  and  was  just  passing  through 
the  drawing-room,  when  she  saw  her  young  teacher 
seated  by  the  window  with  a  book  in  his  hand.  The 
sight  of  him  had  the  effect  of  instantly  transform- 
ing her  exuberant  gayety  into  a  rather  shamefaced 
silence. 

"  Violetta !"  he  said,  and  his  tone  betrayed  his  dis- 
pleasure. She  had  the  door-handle  in  her  grasp, — she 
stool  still,  hesitated,  and  sighed. 

"  You  are  angry  with  me.  I — I  have  been  laughing 
in  that  silly  way  again,  and  then — then " 

"  Then  what  ?"  he  asked,  rising  and  approaching 
her.  One  can  look  into  the  eyes  of  a  repentant  child 
so  much  better  when  one  stands  beside  her  than  from 
the  other  side  of  the  room.     "  Then  what,  Violetta  ?" 

"  I  am  sure  you  heard  what  I  said  to  papa  when  he 
asked  me  whom  I  loved." 

There  was  a  strange,  cold  look  in  his  eyes  as  he  re- 
joined, "  JSTo ;  but  I  should  really  like " 

"  I  said  '  the  whole  world,' "  she  replied,  dejectedly. 
"  I  felt  a  little  sting  in  my  heart  as  I  said  it,  for  I  re- 
membered how  often  you  have  told  me  that  we  ought 
not  to  love  the  world.     I  instantly  begged  God  to  for- 


BRIGHT  SKIES  IN  SPITE   OF  CLOUDS  195 

give  me,  but  I  am  afraid  it  is  all  in  vain.  I  shall 
always  be  thoughtless !" 

The  clouds  on  his  brow  vanished,  and  the  smile  that 
succeeded  them  was  very  becoming  to  his  stern  feat- 
ures. "  There  can  be  no  great  wrong  in  loving  '  the 
whole  world,'  Violetta,  in  the  sense  in  which  you  used 
the  words,  and  I  was  not  displeased  with  you  for 
laughing,  but  because  you  stopped  laughing  as  soon 
as  you  saw  me.  Why  was  it,  Violetta?  Am  I  so 
terrible,  so  disagreeable?  I  must  go  away  if  my 
presence  spoils  your  enjoyment." 

Quick  as  lightning  she  clasped  her  hands  about  his 
arm,  as  if  she  feared  he  would  vanish  on  the  instant. 
"No,  no;  you  must  never  go  away,  never!" 

"And  why  not?" 

"  Because  it  would  break  your  father's  heart." 

This  was  not  exactly  what  ho  had  hoped  to  hear. 

"  Oh,  he  is  so  happy  now,"  she  went  on,  eagerly. 
"  He  is  another  man, — young  and  gay  again.  Ah, 
how — how  he  loves  you !  More  than  both  of  us  to- 
gether,— mamma  and  me.  And  he  shall  have  you.  I 
say  it  must  be !" 

The  carriage  for  the  drive  stopped  before  the  house, 
and  Violetta  waited  for  no  rej^ly.     She  was  gone. 

The  general  drove  off  with  the  air  o;£  a  cheerful 
Jove,  but  he  returned  with  a  clouded  brow.  The 
cause  of  this  was  a  letter  from  his  lovely  wife,  which 
he  had  taken  from  the  post  on  the  way  home.  It  was 
from  Milan,  and  was  as  follows : 

"  Dear  Constantin, — I  have  now  nibbled  at  every 
corner  of  Italy  like  a  mouse  at  a  sugar-plum.  I  have 
celebrated  a  hundred  revivals  of  old  associations,  and 
refreshed  as  many  memories,  for  it  seems  to  mo  that 


196  VIOLETTA 

1  was  here  in  my  youth  a  century  ago,  and  that  since 
then  I  have  grown  old  and  gray.  A  lifetime  has  rolled 
by  to  eternity  in  the  two  years  during  which  I  have 
had  the  honour  and  the  joy  of  being  your  wife.  My 
dearest  friend,  it  is  both  an  honour  and  a  joy  to  me, 
and  yet — let  me  frankly  acknowledge — these  years 
have  been  leaden-winged.  Thirty  such  years  succeed- 
ing one  another  would  make  me  a  thousand  years  old. 
I  find  here  that  the  same  time  that  marched  so  slowly 
and  so  gravely  in  Wilhelms-strasse  can  be  laden  with 
delight,  gliding  past  on  feet  of  quicksilver. 

"  What  a  pity  it  is  that  you  are  not  here !  The  first 
day  my  arrival  was  made  known,  the  people  of  Milan 
sui-rounded  the  hotel,  clamouring  to  see  me.  For  here, 
amico  mio,  it  is  not  only  from  princes  and  citizens  that 
we  receive  applause  and  laurels, — here  an  entire  people 
claims  us. 

"I  went  out  upon  my  balcony,  and  was  received 
like  a  queen.  Such  moments  always  moved  me  deeply. 
I  burst  into  tears,  and  looked  round  for  some  sympa- 
thetic friend  upon  whose  breast  to  shed  them.  Ah! 
there  was  no  one  behind  me  but  fat  Peppino  Menardi. 
General,  you  should  have  been  there, — not  behind  me ; 
no,  beside  me  ;  and  the  people,  seeing  you,  would  have 
forgiven  me ! 

"  Does  this  sound  positively  crazy  to  you  ? — as  if 
from  another  world?  Ah,  Constantin,  do  not  forget 
that  my  world  was  the  stage ! 

"  But  now  about  our  daughter.  You  write  me  very 
gaily  of  the  conquests  that  she  makes ;  she  has  the 
world  at  her  feet.  I  am  sure  of  that.  She  was  born 
under  a  lucky  star,  and  attracts  all  hearts.  But  who 
would  have  thought  that  your  son — that  woman- 
hater — and  my  daughter ! — I  must  confess  that  what 


BRIGHT  SKIES  IN  SPITE   OF  CLOUDS  197 

yoii  say  fills  me  with  delight  and  exultation.  When 
will  he  ask  to  kiss  the  hand  of  his  mamma-in-law  ? 
I  am  not  malicious,  but  my  satisfaction  is  gi'eat, 
and  I  congratulate  the  little  witch.  And  so,  'since 
then,'  Count  Hess  and  Prince  Branco  have  retired? 
This  does  not  please  me.  Prince  Branco  was  in 
earnest,  and  we  must  not  trifle  away  Yioletta's  true 
happiness.  He  is  immensely  wealthy,  amiable,  and 
good-natured, — a  sufficient  guarantee  for  a  happy  mar- 
riage. That  he  is  old  enough  to  be  her  father  is  of 
no  consequence.  Let  Violetta  marry  whomsoever 
she  will,  she  will  love  her  husband,  even  though  he 
be  a  scoundrel.  She  is  the  dearest  creature  in  the 
world. 

"  So  do  your  best  to  encourage  Branco.  Violetta 
must  marry  early,  or  what  will  become  of  her?  You 
have  refused  to  allow  her  to  go  upon  the  stage,  and 
she  has  no  vocation  for  the  cloister. 

"  Or  do  you  really  think  that  your  son  could  be  so 
absolutely  faithless  to  his  principles  ?  No,  my  friend,  I 
cannot  believe  it ;  but  I  ought  to  have  a  hand  in  bring- 
ing matters  to  a  climax :  it  is  woman's  work.  I  ought 
to  discover  whether  I  have  any  talent  as  a  match- 
maker. 

"  "We  go  next  to  ^Naples,  whence  I  have  received  the 
most  delightful  letters.  The  day  before  yesterday  I 
came  quite  unexpectedly  upon  Sir  George  O'Hallorau. 
He  has  just  arrived  in  Italy  after  two  years  in  his 
Irish  home,  and  seems  to  be  mending  his  ways  and 
frequenting  the  best  society  here.  Of  course  ho  can 
always  do  so  if  he  chooses,  and  it  can  never  make  any 
difference  to  me,  who  must  always  be  proud  to  call 
him  friend.  The  feeling  that  I  entertain  for  this 
strange,  eccentric  man  would  seem  to  the  world  at 

17* 


198  VIOLETTA 

large  quixotic.  It  is  the  love  that  the  creature  has 
for  its  creator, — the  work  for  the  master.  I  know  he 
is  ugly  and  nonsensical,  but  I  do  not  care.  He  is  sar- 
castic and  insulting,  but  I  forgive  him.  Between  us 
there  reigns  that  absolute  frankness  which  often  drags 
a  friend  ruthlessly  over  stones  and  thorns, — very  hard 
to  bear  at  the  time,  but  beneficial  in  memory,  like  a 
fresh  salt  sea-breeze  scattering  unhealthy  mists. 

"  But  I  will  not  bore  you  any  longer  with  my  lucu- 
brations. Please  send  me  a  few  thousand  lire  to 
Sorrento,  to  the  address  of  the  Countess  Sala  Sel- 
vaggio.  I  shall  be  much  obliged  to  you,  for  the  series 
of  entertainments  given  me  in  Yenice,  Florence,  and 
Milan  have  fairly  ruined  me. 

"  A  thousand  kisses  to  Yioletta. 

"  Beatrice." 

The  general  paced  his  room  to  and  fro  with  this 
letter  in  his  hand,  frowning  gloomily.  Where  was  it 
to  end  ?  She  would  ruin  him  with  a  smile  on  her  lips, 
and  what  then  ?  A  few  thousand  lire  were  in  her  eyes 
a  mere  bagatelle,  to  be  scattered  from  a  balcony  among 
a  crowd  for  the  sake  of  some  dozen  vivats.  Two  years 
ago  the  few  thousand  lire  would  have  mattered  nothing 
in  view  of  the  charming  frankness  of  this  letter ;  but 
it  is  not  now  '  two  years  ago.' 

On  one  occasion  formerly  he  had  told  her  that  she 
must  set  bounds  to  her  extravagance.  For  the  first 
time  there  was  a  tone  of  menace  in  his  voice  like  the 
roll  of  distant  thunder.  The  beautiful  woman  had 
gazed  at  him  in  dismay.  She  had  not  excused  her- 
self, she  had  made  no  lament,  but  the  large  eyes  filled 
with  tears,  and  seemed  to  say,  reproachfully,  '  Are  you 
beginning  to  play  the  domestic  tyrant  already  ?'     The 


BRIGHT  SKIES  IN  SPITE   OF  CLOUDS         199 

consequence  was  that  he  went  out  and  bought  her  a 
costly  trinket  to  obliterate  the  memory  of  the  shock 
he  had  caused  her.  He  would  gladly  have  bought  her 
a  trinket  upon  every  such  occasion,  but  he  could  do  so 
no  longer.  And  the  worst  of  it  was  that  at  the  least 
hint  from  him  of  impending  ruin  she  would  laugh 
gaily,  and  declare,  "  We  poor  ?  We  beggars  ?  Do  you 
dare  to  mention  such  a  thing  to  Beatrice  Fouquet  ?  It 
is  like  crying  over  a  swan  that  has  tumbled  into  the 
water,  'Help,  help,  it  will  drown!'  Let  me  tell  you 
that  as  long  as  a  clear  note  is  left  in  my  throat,  the 
Beatrice  can  gain  more  in  a  single  evening  than  she 
spends  in  a  year." 

And  what  could  he  do  ?  This  was  her  way  of  con- 
soling him. 

But,  after  all,  there  was  no  good  in  brooding  over  it. 
He  heard  Violetta  singing  in  the  next  room,  and  laugh- 
ing merrily,  and  he  thrust  his  cares  from  him  into 
the  most  hidden  corner  of  his  memory,  and  joined  his 
'  two  children'  with  a  cheerful  face. 

He  found  Fräulein  Emma  with  them,  standing  be- 
fore the  mirror,  dressed  in  a  gorgeous  plum-coloured 
silk  gown.  She  wore  no  kerchief  tied  about  her  face, 
and  was  scrutinizing  her  features  in  the  glass  closely, 
with  a  self-satisfied  air. 

"  Excellency-papa,"  exclaimed  Violetta,  "  we  are 
going  to  the  photographer's.  Emma  is  to  be  photo- 
graphed." 

"  Yes,  your  Excellency,"  said  the  Fräulein,  blushing; 
"  only  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  go  through  the  streets 
without  a  kerchief  tied  around  my  face.  I  feel  quite 
undressed." 

"  We'll  send  for  a  close  carriage,"  the  general  said, 
lauffhiniT. 


200  VIOLETTA 

"  Your  Excellency  is  always  making  game  of  me." 

"Not  at  all;  on  the  contrary,  I  beg  for  a  photo- 
graph." 

This  mollified  the  Fräulein,  and  Yioletta  called  mer- 
rily, "  Come,  do  not  let  us  wait  any  longer." 

"  What !  are  you  going  too,  mouse  ?" 

"Indeed  I  must  go,"  she  declared;  "the  Countess 
Doris,  and  Fräulein  von  Andral,  and  a  hundred  others, 
have  asked  me  for  my  picture." 

Treffenbach,  who  had  been  reading  by  the  window, 
now  looked  up.  "But  not  in  that  gown?"  he  said, 
scanning  Violetta  gravely. 

"  And  why  not  ?     It  makes  no  difference." 

"  I  think  it  does.  Put  on  a  white  muslin,  or,  better 
still,  that  thing  you  wore  the  other  evening  at  the  con- 
cert. It  was  pale  pink,  with  a  great  deal  of  white  lace 
about  it  and  j)ink  silk  rose-buds,  and  you  had  a  neck- 
lace of  pearls.  That  dress  suits  you  better,  Yioletta, 
because — well,  because  it  harmonizes  with  your  figure 
better  than  that  close-fitting,  stiff  walking-dress." 

"  Then  I  must  go  and  change  it,"  Yioletta  said,  with 
a  sigh. 

"Don't  forget  the  pearl  necklace,"  Magnus  called 
after  her. 

Scarcely  was  she  gone  when  the  general  asked,  with 
lifted  brows,  "  Is  this  the  modern  method  of  rooting 
out  vanity  from  the  feminine  mind,  Magnus  ?" 

His  son  bit  his  lip  and  coloured :  "  Oh,  this  is  only 
a  question  of  taste,  of  aesthetics." 

"H'm!  Nevertheless,  I  believe  the  other  effect 
can  be  produced  also.  For  if  there  is  in  Yioletta's 
soul  any  trace  of  vanity,  I  am  convinced  that  the 
weed  is  of  so  microscopic  a  kind  that  it  must  first  be 
cultivated  in  order  to  bo  found  and  rooted  out." 


BRIGHT  SKIES  IN  SPITE   OF  CLOUDS         201 

Soon  afterward  Fräulein  Emma  and  Yioletta,  in 
long  gray  cloaks,  passed  beneath  the  windows  outside, 
and  looked  up  and  nodded.  Treffenbach  grew  restless  : 
he  could  not  keep  his  attention  upon  his  book. 

"  I  really  had  better  go  with  them, — to  see  that  they 
make  a  success  of  it." 

"  Oh,"  the  general  said,  not  without  a  spice  of 
malice,  "you  need  not  be  afraid;  Violetta  has  had 
a  deal  of  experience  in  the  art  of  sitting  for  her  pho- 
tograj)h." 

"  Yes,  but  Fräulein  Emma  ?  It  will  be  frightful,  if 
some  one  does  not  prevent  her  from  holding  a  basket 
of  flowers  or  something  of  the  kind  in  her  hand." 

"  You  are  right.  Go,  then,  and  take  care  of  poor 
Emma." 

Magnus  took  his  hat  and  hurried  out.  Heavens, 
how  they  must  have  walked  !  There  was  nothing  to 
be  seen  of  them,  and  the  noonday  sun  was  scorching. 
In  his  haste  he  almost  ran  against  several  people 
sauntering  slowly  along.  At  last  some  one  came  hur- 
rying after  him.    "  Treffenbach !  halloo,  Treffenbach !" 

"  Good-morning,  Armin.  Excuse  me,  I  am  in  a 
hurry." 

"  But  stop,  stop !  I  am  out  of  breath,  and  I  must 
Bpeak  with  you !" 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?" 

Count  Hess  stood  breathless  beside  him,  holding  him 
tight  by  the  sleeve  that  he  might  not  escape  him. 
"Listen,  Magnus.     I  am  betrothed!" 

"To  whom?" 

"  You  know." 

"  I  congratulate  you  with  all  my  heart,"  said  Tref- 
fenbach, peering  into  the  distance ;  "  but  will  you 
please  excuse  me  for  a  moment?     I  am  in  a  great 


202  VIOLETTA 

hurry ;  the  ladies  are  waiting,  1  will  come  to  j'^ou  to- 
day after  dinner."    And  he  brolce  away  and  hurried  on. 

"  The  deuce !"  said  Hess ;  and  he  walked  away, 
laughing,  and  whistling  a  waltz. 

Meanwhile,  Treffenbach  had  reached  the  photogra- 
pher's atelier,  just  at  the  moment  when  the  prepared 
plate  was  being  adjusted. 

Fräulein  Emma  was  trying  all  kinds  of  graceful  at- 
titudes at  the  end  of  the  room,  while  Violetta's  light 
figure  stood  out  against  the  gray  background  of  the 
screen.  Treffenbach  advanced  hastily.  "  Why  have 
you  made  your  hair  so  smooth,  Yioletta  ?"  he  asked ; 
"  and  I  do  not  like  that  position.  There,  that's  better  ; 
and  let  your  hair  curl  upon  your  forehead,  so ;  that  is 
more  natural." 

"  Will  the  lady  kindly  look  upwards  ?"  said  the  pho- 
tographer. 

"  Nonsense !"  Magnus  exclaimed,  eagerly ;  "  not  such 
a  heaven-appealing  glance  as  that.  Now  clasp  your 
hands,  naturally,  as  you  are  apt  to  stand.  That  is  just 
right." 

"  And  where  shall  I  look?"  she  asked. 

"  Look  at  me.  That  is  quite  natural."  And  he  stood 
beside  the  photographer.  Violetta  obeyed,  but  she 
began  to  smile. 

"  Now,  if  you  please  !"  said  the  man,  taking  off  the 
cover.     "  One,  two,  three." 

Treffenbach  had  made  himself  the  target  of  a  look 
which  he  found  it  hard  to  meet  calmly.  It  rested  upon 
him  full  and  warm  as  the  sunshine,  steadfast,  without 
a  quiver.  A  delicate  flush  rose  to  Yioletta's  cheek ;  a 
sweet,  arch  smile  hovered  upon  her  lips.  Magnus  felt 
his  heart  suddenly  begin  to  beat  wildly,  and  yet  it 
was  as  if  the  sunshine  of  that  glance  aroused  that 


BRIGHT  SKIES  IN  SPITE   OF  CLOUDS        203 

heart  from  its  wintry  sleep,  flung  wide  locked  doors, 
and  let  in  the  fresh  breath  of  spring,  to  wake  to  life 
what  had  hitherto  been  cold  and  dead. 

*'  Thanks !"  said  the  impassible  photographer,  putting 
on  the  cover  again.    "  This  picture  ought  to  be  perfect." 

"  Now  for  the  other  lady !"  said  Yioletta  ;  "  her  pic- 
ture is  by  far  the  more  important." 

Fräulein  Emma's  sitting  was  an  affair  of  time ;  she 
could  not  soon  decide  upon  a  position,  but  Treffen- 
bach's  patience  was'  inexhaustible.  Meanwhile,  he 
stood  beside  Violetta,  watching  her  fasten  the  long 
row  of  buttons  on  her  gloves. 

"  Why  did  you  make  so  strange  a  face  when  I  looked 
at  you,  Baron  Treffenbach  ?"  his  pupil  asked  him,  cu- 
riously. 

«'  What  kind  of  a  face  ?" 

"  Oh,  an  entirely  indescribable  face." 

"  Indeed !  But  why  do  you  call  me  Baron  Treffen- 
bach?   Why  not  say  Magnus  ?" 

"  I  will.  Magnus,  did  you  ever  button  a  lady's 
gloves  ?"  she  asked.  "  Little  Lieutenant  Cserny  does 
it  so  beautifully ;  buttons  one  button,  and  then  looks 
up  so  sweetly  and  asks,  '  Is  that  right  ?'  and  then 
another " 

He  turned  away,  and  the  stern  expression  came  into 
his  eyes  again. 

"  One,  two,  three,"  the  patient  photographer  counted, 
and  Fräulein  Emma  sat  bolt  upright  with  immense 
solemnity  in  a  richly-carved  arm-chair. 

"Dear  Magnus,"  Violetta  whispered  at  last,  half 
timidly,  half  smiling,  "  if  I  do  wrong  it  is  your  duty 
to  tell  me  so,  but  not  to  be  silent."  And  her  SAveet  face, 
framed  in  soft  curls,  looked  entreatingly  at  him  from 
beneath  her  white  hat. 


204  VIOL  ETTA 

"You  are  right;  but  I  always  forget  with  whom  I 
have  to  deal.  It  is  not  the  thing,  Violetta,  to  allow 
every  silly  lieutenant  who  comes  along  to  button 
your  gloves  for  you.  There  is  no  harm  in  the  act 
in  itself,  but  it  shows  such  a  desire  foi  admiration,  so 
frivolous  a " 

"  But  I  never  told  you  that  he  buttoned  my  gloves. 
It  was  Aimee  Dubois.     I  only  looked  on." 

Treffenbach  said  nothing,  but  he  began  to  smile. 

"  You  are  very  strict,"  sighed  Violetta. 

"  I  am  afraid,  my  poor  child,  that  I  am  too  harsh 
with  you.     Forgive  me,  Violetta." 

"All  through  1"  the  photographer  called  out. 


CHAPTEE    XIX 

A   BETROTHAL 

An  accidental  glimpse  of  the  Countess  Hess's 
wheeled  chair  reminded  Magnus  of  his  promise  to  go 
to  his  friend  after  dinner.  He  found  him  in  his  room 
writing. 

"Ah,  here  you  are,  Magnus  I  "Well,  you  find  me 
writing  my  first  letter  to  my  betrothed.  My  be- 
trothed I  My  brain  reels  at  the  thought.  Can  you 
understand  it  ?  One  thing  is  clear,  and  very  delight- 
ful,— nothing  can  disturb  our  friendship,  old  fellow. 
Give  me  your  hand.  Even  this  affair  changes  nothing 
between  us." 

"  Certainly  not,"  Treffenbach  said,  sincerely.  "  And 
let  me  tell  you  frankly,  Marie  Louise  is  just  the  wife 
whom  you  need." 


A   BETROTHAL  205 

"  Not  a  doubt  of  it ;  but  it  seems  incredible  to  me 
that  I  should  be  the  husband  whom  she  needs.  That 
I  never  ventured  to  hope.  Now  I  wish  I  had  read 
your  letter!" 

Treffenbach  hardly  relished  this  allusion  to  his  influ- 
ential epistle.  "  You  can  read  it  at  Eavenhorst,  Ar- 
min, and  then  tell  me  if  I  said  one  word  too  much. 
Now  tell  me  all  your  plans." 

"  They  are  precisely  what  yours  would  have  been 
if "  And  Count  Hess  could  not  refrain  from  laugh- 
ing. 

"  You  intend,  then,"  Treff'enbach  said,  taking  no 
notice  of  his  friend's  merriment,  "to  give  up  your 
position  in  Brussels  and  live  at  Eavenhorst." 

"  Of  course.  Marie  Louise  will  not  leave  her  old 
grandparents  alone  there,  and  the  estate  needs  atten- 
tion, etc.  I  have  written  to  her  that  the  lot  of  the 
country  aristocracy  has  always  seemed  to  me  very  en- 
viable, particularly  in  the  summer.  Immense  agricul- 
tural activity,  combined  with  immense  loitering.  "VYe 
may  indulge  in  the  pleasure  of  having  our  hands  kissed 
by  the  sun."  And  he  laid  his  snow-white  hand  upon 
the  table.  Only  one  costly  seal  ring  adorned  this  hand, 
the  beauty  of  which  was  well  known  in  many  a  draw- 
ing-room, and  the  possession  of  which  was  coveted 
by  many  a  fair  dame.  "  Yes,  look,  Treffenbach ;  see 
what  the  toilette  of  this  spoiled  creature  costs  me  in 
time,  soap,  perfume,  and  gloves !  What  a  whimsical, 
capricious  carpet-knight  it  is !  What  a  positive  cult 
it  requires !  I  take  malicious  delight  in  the  thought 
that  its  tyranny  is  wellnigh  ended,  that  I  shall  bring 
it  home  in  the  evenings  scratched,  brown,  scarred, 
and  can  say  to  it,  Ha,  lazybones,  are  you  learning  to 
work  at  last  ?" 

18 


206  VIOLETTA 

"  Admirable !  With  such  ideas,  Armin,  you  will  bo 
thoroughly  contented  at  Eavenhorst." 

"Contented?  Well,  we  shall  seel  But  I  tell  you, 
my  dear  Magnus,  you  know  nothing  about  it.  I  tell 
you,  Daniel  in  the  den  of  lions  needed  less  courage 
than  1 1  And  when  I  say  this,  understand  that  I  make 
no  allusion  to  your  two  amiable  old  relatives.  Would 
you  like  to  read  your  aunt  Plattow's  letter  ?  I  must 
say  it  delighted  me." 

From  the  letter  Treffenbach  learned  all  the  changes 
that  had  taken  place  in  the  last  two  years  in  the 
monotonous  life  at  Eavenhorst.  They  were  not  many. 
Instead  of  recovering  his  eyesight,  the  old  Herr  had 
lost  it  almost  entirely.  He  could  still  go  about  the 
house  and  garden,  where  every  step  was  familiar  to 
him,  but  his  life  was  darkened  and  saddened.  His 
wife  devoted  herself  entirely  to  tending  and  entertain- 
ing him,  while  Marie  Louise  conducted  the  affairs  of 
the  household  and  of  the  estate  in  a  masterly  manner, 
overseeing  the  schools  and  providing  for  the  comfort 
and  good  of  all.  The  letter  did  not  say,  but  never- 
theless one  gathered  from  it,  that  she  was  not  per- 
fectly content,  perfectly  happy, — that  she  had  ex- 
pected more  of  life.  But  what  ?  Marriage  ?  She  had 
had  opportunities  enough  to  marry  in  these  two  years, 
but  she  had  rejected  all  proposals. 

"  What  is  it,  then  ?"  Count  Hess  asked,  dubiously. 
*'  She  will  not  repent  this  step  ?  No ;  if  that  were  jsos- 
sible  she  would  not  have  accepted  me." 

"Marie  Louise  always  acts  so  prudently,"  Treffen- 
bach rejoined,  warmly  defending  his  cousin,  "that  there 
is  no  need  for  repentance.  She  may  regret,  but  she 
never  reproaches  herself  Eest  assured  that  what  has 
perhaps  irritated  her  is  the  desire  for  a  wider  field  of 


A   BETROTHAL  207 

action.  Hers  is  an  extraordinary  character,  Armin, 
perspicuous,  clear,  strong.  She  strives  to  attain  the 
highest  aims  of  universal  philanthropy.  And  even  if  a 
larger  field  of  action  were  to  open  before  her,  she  never 
would  neglect  minor  duties,  for  she  is  conscientious  in 
small  matters  as  well  as  in  great.  Eavenhorst,  which 
it  was  once  her  dream  to  make  a  model  estate,  has 
become  too  narrow  for  her;  her  capacity  has  grown 
with  exercise.  She  could  do  more  now,  and  she  feels 
it.  Still,  she  is  bound  to  Eavenhorst,  because  she  is 
indispensable  to  her  grandparents.  And  she  suffers 
mentally,  thirsting  for  action  as  she  does.  I  have  not 
seen  her  since  we  parted,  but  I  know  all  this,  for  I 
know  her  as  I  know  myself." 

"Whilst  his  friend  was  speaking.  Count  Hess  had 
suppressed  several  yawns.  He  now  looked  at  him 
and  smiled :  "  And  I  tell  you,  my  dear  Magnus,  that 
she  is  far  more  exti^aordinary  than  you  suspect.  You 
think  you  know  her.  You  know  nothing  of  her. 
You  never  had  any  curiosity  to  find  out  whether  this 
beautiful  marble  statue  has  a  heart  or  not.  I  am 
going  to  study  her,  and  if  I  find  her  capable  of 
human  emotion  I  will  forgive  her  for  her  superhuman 
excellence." 

"  That  is  a  rather  surprising  conclusion,"  said  Tref- 
fenbach, smiling. 

"  You  and  Fräulein  von  Plattow  are  spiritual  twins," 
Hess  concluded,  as  he  folded  up  the  letter.  "  And 
this  explains  the  possibility  of  the  calm  continuance 
of  our  friendship  under  these  peculiar  circumstances. 
There  I  And  now  let  us  go  and  make  my  mother 
happy.  Quick,  quick,  instruct  me  somewhat  as  to 
the  worldly  circumstances  of  my  future  wife,  that  I 
may  not  absolutely  fail  in  the  examination  I  am  about 


208  VIOLETTA 

to  undergo.  Is  she  poor?  Is  she  rich  ?  Is  she  inde- 
pendent ?  Has  she  any  brothers  or  sisters  of  whom 
there  is  no  intimation  in  the  depths  of  my  conscious- 
ness ?  It  occurs  to  me  that  Frau  von  Bellwitz  once 
exclaimed,  with  clasped  hands,  in  my  presence,  '  How 
absurd  for  Magnus  Treffenbach,  with  all  his  money, 
to  marry  a  wealthy  girl  like  Marie  Louise!  Why 
couldn't  he  make  some  poor  girl  happy?'  This  is 
well.  My  mother  will  be  very  glad,  for  she  is  as  prac- 
tical in  her  views  as  Frau  Bellwitz." 

Hess  was  not  disappointed.  His  mother  was  de- 
lighted. She  declared  that  such  joy  would  certainly 
restore  her  to  health.  In  the  evening  they  supped 
with  the  Treffenbachs,  and  toasted  the  newly-be- 
trothed couple.  Magnus  was  heroically  cheerful. 
One  could  not  but  admire  him,  his  wicked  father 
whispered  to  the  old  Countess.  He  was  immensely 
supported  in  his  unselfish  cheerfulness  by  seeing  how 
gaily  Yioletta  received  the  news  that  this  delight- 
ful Count  Armin  was  betrothed.  She  took  great 
delight  in  it.  She  asked  many  questions,  and  drank 
his  special  health,  declaring  that  she  had  suspected 
something  of  the  kind  all  along, — he  had  seemed  so 
happy  and  so  attentive  to  every  one.  And  then  she 
had  a  little  dispute  with  old  Count  Hess,  who  con- 
tended that  love  makes  people  absent-minded  and 
unamiable. 

On  this  evening,  however,  Armin  received  a  letter 
that  necessitated  his  immediate  return  to  Brussels. 
He  had  to  depart  the  next  day,  instead  of  going  to 
Eavenhorst,  as  he  had  hoped,  and  it  was  very  doubtful 
when  he  should  be  able  to  go  thither.  Yioletta  had 
no  cause  to  compliment  him  again  upon  his  amiability 
before  he  left. 


A  BETROTHAL  209 

The  ensuing  days  brought  a  renewal  of  gayeties, 
although  the  circle  of  acquaintance  was  not  precisely 
the  same.  The  Countess  Doris  had  left,  as  had  also  the 
French  colonel  with  his  daughters.  Prince  Baranco- 
vich,  with  his  four-in-hand  and  his  huge  dogs,  was 
still  constant  to  his  post,  playing  piquet  with  the 
general,  and  upon  every  conceivable  and  inconceiv- 
able occasion  sending  a  bouquet  of  roses  to  Violetta, 
who  always  received  them  with  the  same  happy 
laugh. 

"  Mouse,"  her  stepfather  ~jaid,  warningly,  "  if  you 
are  not  careful  the  Croat  will  swing  you  up  on  the 
saddle  before  him  some  fine  day  and  bear  you  off  to 
his  castle  at  Agram,  and  papa  and  mamma  will  be  left 
in  the  lurch." 

"  Oh,  no !  oh,  no !"  said  Yioletta,  shaking  her  head 
and  smiling. 

"  Then  do  not  seem  so  frankly  delighted  with  his 
flowers.  Tell  him  their  fragrance  gives  you  the 
headache." 

"  *  Oh,  no !  oh,  no !  I  cannot  lie  I'  "  the  girl  sang,  care- 
lessly. 

"  Indeed  ?     You  like  him,  then  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes !  oh,  yes !" 

"Very  well.  Madame  the  Princess  Barancovich. 
come  here  and  receive  my  paternal  blessing." 

"  Oh,  no  !  oh,  no  !" 

"  She's  a  terrible  child,  eh,  Magnus  ?"  the  general 
said,  in  mock  despair. 

"  I  like  the  old  Prince  very  much,"  Yioletta  declared, 
with  dignity.  "  But  liking  very  much  and  marrying 
are  two  very  different  affairs." 

"  Magnus,  what  shall  we  do  with  her  ?" 

His  son  looked  up  from  his  book.  Yioletta  closed 
0  18* 


210  VJOLETTA 

hei'  eyes  and  murmured,  "l!^ow  for  my  death-war- 
rant" 

"  How  old  are  you  ?"  Magnus  asked,  vainly  endeav- 
ouring to  make  bis  voice  sound  stern. 

"  I  am  seventeen." 

"  Then  you  really  ought  to  be  more  sensible."  And 
he  became  apparently  absorbed  in  his  book  again,  but 
only  apparently. 

This  morning  the  photographs  came  home.  While 
Eriiulein  Emma  retired  blushing  to  her  room  with 
her  packet,  Magnus  arranged  the  twelve  cabinet  pic- 
tures of  his  pupil,  like  a  game  of  patience,  on  the  table 
before  him,  and  then  sat  gazing  at  them,  his  head 
propped  on  both  hands,  like  a — an  art-connoisseur. 

"  Heyday,  mouse  I"  said  the  general,  approaching  the 
table,  "  of  whom  were  you  thinking  while  these  were 
taking  ?" 

It  was,  in  fact,  a  bewitching  picture  that  lay  in 
twelve-fold  reduplication  on  the  table,  bewitching  be- 
cause of  the  entire  lack  of  self-consciousness  in  the 
expression.  Smile  and  glance  did  not  belong  to  the 
occupation  of  the  moment. 

Treffenbach  sat  as  if  spell-bound.  She  gazed  at  him 
from  the  picture  just  as  she  had  done  in  reality. 
Colour  alone  was  wanting.  Again  his  heart  beat  fast, 
and  he  felt  a  little  dizzy.  Suddenly,  as  if  awaking 
from  a  dream,  he  gathered  up  all  the  pictures,  put 
them  in  the  envelope,  and  left  the  room,  taking  them 
with  him.  Yioletta  did  not  observe  this,  for  Fräulein 
Emma  had  returned,  extremely  discontented  with  her 
counterfeit  presentment.  It  was  'a  horrid  picture,' 
she  never  had  '  such  a  long  nose  as  that,'  nor  did  she 
ever  '  sit  up  so  stiff  and  straight.'  Yioletta  tried  to 
soothe  the  poor  Fräulein's  disappointment  by  all  kinds 


A   BETROTHAL  211 

of  consoling  suggestions,  and  only  remembered  an 
hour  afterward,  at  dinner,  to  ask  Magnus  where  her 
pictures  were. 

"  "Where  they  belong." 

"  That  must  be  a  terrible  place,"  the  girl  whispered, 
shyly,  "  for  I  believe  you  disapprove  of  having  photo- 
graphs taken  of  one's  self." 

"  Take  a  few  more  strawberries,  Violetta,"  was  his 
reply. 

"  No,  thank  you.  And  you  are  quite  right,  Magnus. 
It  is  a  very  foolish  thing  to  do,  and  costs  so  much 
money ;"  she  sighed.     She  had  '  cares'  too. 

"Are  your  finances  so  low?"  Treffenbach  asked, 
gaily.  "Well,  then,  I  have  been  to  the  photogra- 
pher's, and  have  paid  both  for  your  and  poor  Emma's 
pictures." 

"  Oh,  how  delightful  I  I  will  take  a  few  more  straw- 
berries." 

"Yioletta,"  one  of  the  Vienna  Countesses  called 
out,  "  I  am  to  have  one  of  your  photographs,  am  I 
not?" 

"  And  I  ?"  Prince  Barancovich  begged. 

Violetta,  besieged  by  petitioners,  began  to  reckon 
on  her  fingers,  and  in  five  minutes  the  whole  dozen 
were  given  away. 

As  they  were  going  home,  the  general  met  an  old 
friend,  with  whom  he  walked  on  before,  while  Magnus 
and  Violetta  loitered  a  little  behind.  She  looked  up 
at  him  with  her  sunny,  unconscious  smile,  and  said, 
"My  pictures,  Magnus  I" 

"  They  all  belong  to  me.     I  paid  for  them." 

"  Papa  will  give  you  the  money  again.  Don't  be  so 
stingy,  my  dear  Magnus.  Where  have  you  put  them  ? 
You  heard  them  all  given  away." 


212  violetta 

"  Yes,  jou  can  go  to  the  photographer's  and  sit  lor 
some  more." 

"  Oh,  but  that  is  absurd!"  exclaimed  Violetta.  "Why- 
must  not  these  pictures  be  given  away  ?" 

"  Because  they  belong  to  me  alone ;  or  should  you  be 
willing  to  look  at  Prince  Barancovich  as  you  looked 
at  me  ?" 

"  I  do  not  understand  you.  I  am  so  sorry  about 
those  pictures!  Have  you  torn  them  all  up?"  she 
added,  dejectedly.  "  Was  there  something  wrong  in 
them,  Magnus?" 

She  asked  this  in  a  low  voice,  and  looked  up  at  him 
with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  No,"  he  replied  in  a  tone  as  low,  and  there  was  the 
unmistakable  ring  of  passion  in  his  voice,  "  nothing 
wrong,  Violetta.  And  where  have  I  put  them  ?  I  am 
wearing  them  next  my  heart." 

She  looked  up  at  him  surprised.  She  had  often 
during  her  young  life  had  such  things  said  to  her. 
When  she  was  ten  years  old,  she  had  with  lavish  gen- 
erosity cut  off  curls  for  those  who  petted  and  spoiled 
her,  and  had  frequently  been  assured  that  souvenirs  so 
precious  should  be  worn  *  next  the  heart.'  Only  a  day 
or  two  before.  Prince  Branco  had  picked  up  a  rose-bud 
that  had  fallen  from  her  hair,  and  had  begged  her 
leave  to  wear  it  next  his  heart.  All  this  did  not  sur- 
prise her.  It  was  jest  and  courtesy,  in  return  for 
which  one  laughs  and  forgets.  But  such  words  from 
the  lips  of  her  grave  instructor, — a  man  who  read  aloud 
to  her  every  morning  such  serious,  dry,  incomprehen- 
sible things,  in  order  to  '  form  her  mind' !  She  was  mute 
with  astonishment  for  a  moment.  Then  she  began  to 
laugh  roguishly.  "  Twelve  cabinet  photographs  next 
your  heart  ?     They  must  make  you  rather  warm." 


A  BETROTHAL  213 

«Yes;  they  burn." 

The  girl  at  once  became  thoughtful,  and  there 
were  traces  of  disappointment  and  uneasiness  on  her 
lovely  face.  Treflfenbach  instantly  perceived  this,  but 
he  waited  to  hear  what  she  would  say.  As  she  did 
not  speak,  he  asked,  "  What  is  the  matter  ?  Are  you 
displeased,  Violetta  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know,"  she  said,  with  a  sigh.  "  I  am  as- 
tonished. I  do  not  like  to  hear  you  talk  like — all  the 
rest !     It  is  not  like  yourself." 

"Well,  Yioletta,  you  shall  not  have  cause  to  com- 
plain of  me  again.     I — I  hardly  know  what  I  said." 

They  walked  on  in  silence.  The  day  was  rarely 
lovely,  even  for  fine  summer  weather.  At  least  so 
Magnus  thought.  The  air  was  clear  and  full  of  sun- 
shine, with  a  rustle  and  whisper  among  all  the  leaves. 
Music  and  glad  voices  resounded  far  and  near.  On 
such  a  day  we  feel  that  the  world  lives  and  moves  and 
breathes,  and  its  breath  comes  life-giving  and  fragrant, 
wafted  across  the  meadows  where  the  hay  lies  dry- 
ing. 

In  the  afternoon  Treffenbach  had  letters  to  write, 
and  did  not  go  to  the  villa  until  tea-time.  He  found 
Fräulein  Emma  sitting  at  the  little  tea-table  on  the 
veranda.  His  Excellency  and  Violetta,  she  said,  were 
in  the  drawing-room.  Prince  Barancovich  had  been 
there  to  get  his  picture,  and  it  had  not  been  given  him, 
and  this  had  been  the  occasion  for  a  declaration.  "  A 
declaration,"  Fräulein  Emma  concluded,  wiping  her 
eyes,  "  which  every  one  has  foreseen  except  Violetta, 
who  is  bathed  in  tears.     Poor  child  1" 

Treffenbach  walked  to  and  fro  in  great  agitation. 
His  father  appeared  soon,  rubbing  his  hands,  and 
seeming  not  at  all  as  if  there  had  been  any  unpleasant 


214  VIOLETT  A 

scone.  "  Emma  has  told  you,  I  suppose,  Barancovich 
came,  and  there  was  a  positive  explosion.  I've  made 
it  rather  hot  for  the  little  one.  A  splendid  fellow! 
She  must  not  reject  him.  To-morrow  evening  he  is 
coming  for  her  consent.  It  will  be  a  fine  surprise  for 
her  mother!"  And  his  Excellency  looked  keenly  into 
his  son's  face.  Treffenbach  was  ashy  pale,  and  did  not 
say  one  word.  Nor  did  he  see  how  his  father  rubbed 
his  hands  beneath  the  table.  At  last  Violetta  ap- 
peared, looking  rather  frightened,  and  it  was  easy  to 
see  that  she  had  been  crying.  Tea  was  drunk  in 
silence.  After  it  was  over,  the  general  complained 
that  the  air  was  cool,  and  went  within-doors.  Fräu- 
lein Emma  followed  the  servant  with  the  tea-equipage. 
Treffenbach  started  up,  and  went  to  the  vine- wreathed 
balustrade  to  scan  the  evening  sky. 

"  It  will  certainly  storm  to-morrow,"  he  said  at  last, 
merely  for  the  sake  of  saying  something. 

*'  Ah,  I  should  be  so  glad !  There  would  then  be  an 
end  of  the  enormous  picnic  that  they  have  all  been 
talking  about  for  two  weeks,"  Violetta  murmured,  de- 
jectedly, from  where  she  was  sitting. 

"  Pray  come  here,  Yioletta.  You  must  tell  me  what 
is  the  matter  with  you." 

She  obeyed,  but  with  a  downcast  air,  and  stood 
beside  him  at  the  balustrade,  looking  up  at  him  as  if 
for  aid.  "  Oh,  I  am  so  wicked,  Magnus !  so  wicked ! 
You  both  warned  me,  but  I  did  not  believe  you.  I 
never  knew  how  unhappy  we  could  make  people 
through  our  wrong-doing.  Oh,  Magnus,  help  me ;  try 
to  make  me  better!" 

"  Do  not  cry  so,  Violetta.  Poor  child !  how  you 
tremble !  Do  not  take  it  so  to  heart.  Prince  Baran- 
covich will  go  away.     You  must  forget  him." 


A   BETROTHAL  215 

"  Papa  says  I  am  a  naughty  child,  and  that  I  must 
marry  him." 

He  put  his  arm  around  her  waist,  and  gently  and 
caressingly  stroked  back  her  curls.  There  was  unutter- 
able tenderness  in  his  voice  as  he  said,  "  Be  comforted, 
darling ;  I  will  not  allow  it." 

And  then  he  saw  those  large  eyes  beam  again,  saw 
the  happy  smile  return  to  her  li2:)S,  and  he  stood  there 
like  one  who  does  not  know  whether  he  is  awake  or  is 
dreaming  a  fairy-tale.  His  gaze  wandered  away  to 
the  rustling  tree-tops,  down  to  the  sparkling  fountain, 
and  then  back  again  to  those  unfathomable  violet  eyes 
that  were  looking  into  his  own  shyly,  archly,  aud — 
"  Thanks,  oh,  thanks !"  the  girl  suddenly  whispered, 
and,  with  a  smile,  she  was  gone, — vanished,  like  an  un- 
substantial vision,  a  wreath  of  mist. 

He  roused  himself,  passed  his  hand  across  his  brow, 
and  began  slowly  to  descend  the  steps. 

"  Halloo,  old  fellow  !"  his  father's  voice  called  to  him. 
His  Excellency  was  smoking  his  evening  cigar  at  the 
drawing-room  window.     "  Are  you  going  already  ?" 

"  Yes ;  good-night,"  his  son  replied,  without  looking 
up.  The  general,  however,  had  a  fancy  to  see  his  face. 
It  occurred  to  him  that  he  had  that  day  received  a 
letter  which  he  wished  to  show  to  his  son.    He  felt  in 

his  pockets.    "  Wait,  Magnus,  wait ;  I  have  here  a 

Where  did  I  put  it?  Ah,  here  it  is.  Eead  that,  and 
tell  me  to-morrow  what  you  think  of  it." 

He  handed  him  the  letter,  but  he  was  foiled  in  his 
purpose.  His  son  contrived  to  take  it  without  looking 
up.  The  general  turned  from  the  window  with  a  laugh, 
while  Magnus  went  his  way.  AVhat  were  his  thoughts  ? 
"Unfortunately,  it  must  bo  confessed  that  to-night,  pro- 
found thinker  though  he  was,  he  had  none  worthy  the 


216  VIOLETT  A 

name.  He  wandered  through  the  summer  evening 
possessed  by  delicious,  dreamy  sensations.  He  might 
have  been  the  son  of  a  caliph ;  were  these  vine- 
wreathed  balconies  and  balustrades  the  minarets  of 
Bagdad?  these  dark  roses  the  pomegranates  of  the 
East  ?    Who  could  tell  ? 

At  times  he  paused  and  looked  up,  following  the 
lines  and  angles  of  the  roof  of  a  house,  as  if  he  had 
nothing  in  the  world  to  do  save  to  study  the  laws  of 
geometry. 

When  at  last  he  reached  his  room,  and  the  servant 
brought  the  light,  he  found  on  his  table  several  letters, 
which  he  opened  and  read  mechanically.  One  was  a 
letter  from  the  Secretary  of  Foreign  Affairs.  He  read 
the  names  Brazil,  Bio  de  Janeiro,  and  he  smiled.  All 
that  was  now  a  secondary  consideration.  The  matter 
of  chief  importance  was  whether  the  twelve  photo- 
graphs were  still  in  his  breast-pocket.  Good  heavens ! 
what  if  the  packet  had  been  stolen  from  him  ?  Or  his 
pocket  might  have  been  torn  and  the  pictures  now  be 
lying  in  the  dust  of  the  highway,  to  be  trampled  by 
the  feet  of  men  and  horses  I  He  hastily  felt  for  them ; 
ah !  there  they  were  all  safe.  He  took  them  out  and 
drew  forth  one  from  the  envelope,  looked  at  it  a  little 
while,  and  then  bent  down  and  kissed  it. 


AWAKENING  2l7 


CHAPTEE    XX 

AWAKENING 

The  day  of  the  '  enormous  picnic'  dawned  festally. 
It  was  clear  that  something  grand  and  beautiful  was 
to  take  place.  The  sun  rose  in  cloudless  skies,  and, 
as  if  at  a  given  signal,  a  chorus  from  hundreds  of 
birds  rang  out  clear  and  full,  while  invisible  hands 
decked  meadow,  hill,  and  glen  with  millions  of  diamond 
dew-drops. 

Treffenbach,  in  the  hotel  garden,  was,  with  the  gar- 
dener's permission,  cutting  a  bouquet  of  magnificent 
roses.  The  man  asked  whether  they  were  not  for  the 
lovely  daughter  of  the  Prussian  Excellency,  and  upon 
Magnus's  nod  of  assent,  refused  to  accept  j)ayment  for 
them ;  the  Fräulein  was  an  angel, — an  assertion  which 
the  young  man  did  not  gainsay. 

Those  engaged  for  the  picnic  were  already  astir. 
There  rolled  the  four-in-hand  of  the  Croatian  magnate, 
driven  by  himself,  and  here  were  two  merry  officers 
in  blue  uniform  coming  down  the  steps  with  rattling 
sabres. 

A  groom  led  up  the  brown  mare.  There  was  a  lady's 
saddle  upon  Montresor's  back,  which,  with  bit  and 
bridle,  had  been  carefully  selected  by  Baron  Treffen- 
bach himself.  He  now  tested  the  girths,  saw  that 
everything  was  in  order,  had  the  horse  which  he  rode 
himself  brought  out,  and  bidding  the  groom  follow 
him  with  both  steeds,  set  out  for  the  villa,  walking 
quickly,  impatiently. 

K  19 


218  VIOLETT  A 

"When  he  reached  it,  he  saw  Violetta's  head  at  the 
window  where  on  the  previous  evening  the  general 
had  been  smoking  his  cigar.  She  pushed  up  the  veil  of 
her  black  riding-hat  and  tossed  a  flower  down  to  him. 

"  How  late  you  are,  loiterer !  It  is  half  a  minute 
past  the  time,  and  in  that  half-minute  we  have  had  a 
great,  a  very  great  surprise.     Do  you  hear  nothing  ?" 

"  I  certainly  do  hear  something  inexplicable.  I  hear 
your  voice  here  and  in  the  drawing-room  too !" 

"  Come  in!"  the  girl  cried,  merrily. 

A  sudden  anxiety  oppressed  him.  He  was  filled 
with  a  vague  foreboding,  but  before  he  could  analyze 
its  cause  he  stood  on  the  threshold  of  the  little  draw- 
ing-room, and  he  seemed  to  be  rehearsing  a  scene 
that  he  had  gone  through  before.  The  room  was 
not  light,  the  sun  shone  into  it  through  half-closed 
blinds,  and  it  was  filled  with  the  fragrance  of  flowers. 
Again  he  saw  beside  him  his  father's  tall,  military 
figure,  and  from  the  lounge  arose  a  form  of  won- 
drous grace  and  dignity,  gorgeously  attired,  with 
golden  chains  about  her  neck  and  wrists,  from  which 
last  tinkled  a  profusion  of  little  sparkling  golden 
crescents.  Her  black  curling  hair  was  dressed  low 
upon  her  forehead,  her  large,  liquid  eyes  drew  his 
own  shrinking  glance  to  meet  them,  and  held  it  fast, 
forcing  him  to  stand  firm. 

"  Magnus,"  his  father  said,  gravely,  "  you  know  who 
this  is, — Violetta's  mother." 

There  was  a  ringing  and  humming  in  his  ears,  and 
then  suddenly  he  felt  quite  calm,  possessed  by  a  bitter, 
hopeless  melancholy.  He  seemed  to  have  forced  his 
way  slowly,  step  by  step,  into  an  enchanted  garden, 
and  all  at  once  the  gates  were  closed  behind  him, — he 
was  a  prisoner ! 


AWAKENING  219 

Violetta's  mother!  Oh,  yes;  no  need  to  tell  him 
that.  They  both  stood  before  him,  the  full-blown  rose 
and  the  opening  bud  which  a  day  of  sunshine  miglit 
unfold  to  a  like  splendour.  The  voice,  whose  tone 
thrilled  his  every  nerve ;  the  smile,  the  captivating 
charm  of  which  had  infatuated  him ;  the  eyes,  which 
in  their  blue,  fathomless  depths  beneath  the  long  dark 
lashes  revealed  the  Irish  descent, — all,  all  the  same. 
Oh  that  he  could  escape,  as  on  that  other  day  1  but 
he  cannot.  Oh  that  he  could  repulse,  as  on  that 
other  day,  the  fair  hand  extended  in  welcome !  but  he 
cannot.  Oh,  that  he  could  hate  this  woman,  as  on 
that  other  day !  but  he  cannot.  He  loves  her  eveiy 
charm  in  her  daughter!  He  feels  that  he  is  lost 
without  hoj5e  of  rescue,  entangled  and  held  in  slaver}^, 
and  he  is  a  prey  to  wild  desjiair.  He  is  conscious  that 
he  is  holding  Beatrice's  small,  warm  hand  in  his  own 
and  covering  it  with  kisses,  for  that  little  hand  is 
stronger  than  his  scorn  and  his  indignation. 

And  then  he  sees  his  father  pacing  the  room  ex 
citedly,  and  hears  him  say,  "Ah,  mouse,  to-day  is  the 
happiest  of  my  life !  She  is  here,  and  I  have  both  my 
children  besides !  No  more  separations  as  long  as  we 
live,  eh  ?" 

But 

Stay!  many  will  exclaim  here.  What  does  that 
'but'  mean?  Where  is  the  use  of  it?  The  story  is 
really  ended.  What  more  can  there  possibly  be  to 
say  except,  'And  they  lived  happy  9«  birds  ever  after, 
and  if  they  are  not  dead  arc  living  so  still.     Basta  /' 

Yes,  it  would  be  charming  if  it  could  all  turn  out  as 
it  does  for  good  children  in  the  story-books, — delight- 
ful if  at  such  moments  we  could  cry  stay,  close  our 
eyes,  and  leave  the  future  to  the  imagination. 


220  VIOLETTA 

But  lifo  strides  onward ;  the  *  impracticable  liours' 
pass  unceasingly,  inexorably.  There  are  no  pauses ; 
least  of  all  can  we  close  the  book  of  events  when  it 
pleases  us,  and  say,  Henceforward  there  shall  be  noth- 
ing but  sunshine  and  joy. 

Magnus  TrefFenbach  was  not  the  man  to  yield  with- 
out a  struggle  to  a  temptation  for  which  he  had  sud- 
denly found  the  name.  Was  anything  changed  since 
that  day  when  he  had  fii'st  met  Beatrice  Fouquet? 
Nothing  at  all.  She  was  the  same  person,  only  since 
then  she  had  usurped  his  mother's  title,  honours,  and 
position.     And  Violetta  was  her  daughter. 

Had  he  not  known  all  this  before?  Had  he  not 
said  it  to  himself?  Oh,  yes,  a  hundred  times.  What 
he  had  never  yet  said  frankly  to  himself  was,  that  he 
loved  this  daughter. 

Oh,  this  was  a  strange  day !  He  could  not  escape ; 
he  was  bound  magnetically  by  double  chains.  His 
heart  was  sore  with  the  vain  struggle  to  throw  off 
these  fetters,  and  meanwhile  he  played  his  part,  talked, 
made  answer,  and  was,  as  her  beautiful  Excellency 
expressed  it,  '  extremely  sympathetic' 

First  two  high  hunting-wagons  full  of  chatting, 
laughing,  beckoning  dames  and  cavaliers  drew  up 
before  the  villa. 

They  went  out.  Her  Excellency  Beatrice  was 
greeted  with  enthusiasm.  They  begged  her  to  join 
the  party,  and  she  was  ready.  The  general  lifted  her 
into  the  first  vehicle,  and  sprang  up  beside  her.  Then 
Prince  Branco's  four-in-hand  came  rushing  up,  and  a 
whole  cavalcade  of  ladies  and  gentlemen.  Treffen- 
bach knew  that  he  with  his  protegee  was  to  join 
this.  Montresor  was  led  up.  Magnus  himself  lifted 
Violetta  into  the  saddle,  and  advised  her  to  ride  on  the 


A  WAKENING  221 

left  side  of  the  road,  on  account  of  the  dust.  "Whither 
they  were  to  ride  he  had  forgotten,  nor  did  he  care. 
Violetta  was  very  gay  and  joyous,  but  her  jests 
and  laughter  pained  him.  They  reminded  him  of 
her  mother.  Her  sprightly  nonsense  filled  him  with 
horror  to-day. 

The  entire  party  assembled  upon  a  wooded  height. 
Carriages  and  horses  remained  below.  The  servants 
carried  up  in  hampers  all  that  was  requisite  for  a 
correct  dejeuner  ä  la  fourchette.  They  sat  beneath 
the  trees.  Some  admired  the  view ;  others  insisted 
that  there  was  a  ruin  in  the  neighborhood,  and  that 
it  was  a  duty  to  explore  it.  Of  course  her  Excel- 
lency von  Treflenbach  was  soon  the  ruling  spirit  of 
the  assembly.  Prince  Branco  built  her  a  kind  of 
throne  of  cushions  and  rugs,  whereon  she  sat  in 
state,  a  glass  of  champagne  in  one  hand,  a  biscuit 
in  the  other.  Her  attention  was  given  chiefly  to  the 
Prince,  who  was  positively  revivified,  and  took  fresh 
courage. 

There  was  no  end  to  the  talk,  song,  and  laughter. 
Music  added  its  strains,  and  a  band  of  gypsies  ap- 
peared, and  sent  their  ambassador  to  ask  whether 
they  should  not  tell  the  fortunes  of  the  lords  and 
ladies.  Amid  shouts  of  laughter  it  was  discovered 
that  these  gypsies  were  a  part  of  the  company  dis- 
guised. The  youngest  lieutenant  made  a  charming 
gjrpsy  queen  in  a  red  petticoat  and  a  large  turban. 
The  mirth  and  jollity  reached  their  height  when,  with 
his  eyes  bound,  he  was  compelled  to  unveil  the  future 
for  each  of  the  party.  Wonderful  things  wore  fore- 
told, and  at  every  fresh  revelation  the  laughter  in- 
creased. At  last  Violetta  could  laugh  no  longer; 
Bhe  was  tired  out  with  gaj^ety.     She  came  and  sat 

19* 


222  VIOLETTÄ 

down  beside  Treffenbach  upon  a  foiled  tree.  It  was 
a  refreshment  to  look  at  his  grave  face,  and  she 
whispered  to  him,  "Ah,  my  dear  Magnus,  this  has 
been  too  gay  and  merry;  I  do  not  know  where  I 
shall  find  the  strength  to  ride  home." 

"  Then  drive  home." 

"  Oh,  no,"  she  whispered,  with  a  startled  look ; 
"  there  is  no  room  except  in  the  Prince's  carriage." 

The  heat  of  the  day  had  subsided  when  all  made 
ready  for  the  homeward  way.  The  day  had  been  a 
vari-coloured  chaos  for  Magnus ;  and  this  homeward 
ride  was  spectral,  unreal.  Violetta  could  not  ride 
very  quickly,  and  every  one  seemed  to  think  it  quite 
natural  that  Baron  Treffenbach  should  stay  beside  her. 
Twilight  was  approaching,  and  all  the  voices,  the 
rumble  of  carriage-wheels,  the  whinnying  of  horses, 
passed  them  by  and  died  away  in  the  distance,  and 
the  evening  light  brooded  calm  and  tinged  with  gold 
over  the  meadows.  The  larks  that  had  trilled  high 
overhead  in  the  morning  were  mute ;  a  thrush  piped 
softly  in  the  bushes  by  the  wayside,  and  in  the  dis- 
tance a  nightingale  was  beginning  to  sing.  Yioletta 
sat  quiet,  as  if  lost  in  dreams ;  she  was  not  troubled 
by  the  persistent  silence  of  her  companion.  Like  her- 
self, he  doubtless  sought  repose  after  the  bustle  of  the 
day.  She  did  not  surmise  the  unrest  of  his  soul, — how 
his  head  ached  and  throbbed,  and  his  thoughts  pursued 
the  same  unvarying  round. 

When  she  turned  her  clear  glance  towards  him,  he 
felt  the  force  of  the  sweet,  subtle  charm  assert  itself 
irresistibly, — his  heart  pleaded  wildly  for  its  rights: 
'  Eesign  yourself  utterly.  Forget  all  other  consider- 
ations. It  is  too  late  for  any  such !'  But  he  turned 
deaf  ears  to  this  voice  as  to  a  beguiling  temptation, 


A  WAKENING  223 

and  called  to  his  aid  the  memory  of  a  dim,  quiet  room, 
and  of  another  voice  that  had  once  told  him  the  story 
of  the  captive  king  beneath  the  waters  of  the  lake, 
and  that  had  whispered  with  its  last  failing  strength, 
'Always  be  what  you  are  now.  Never  be  afraid  to 
flee  from  temptation.  You  will  test  the  glittering 
gold  and  be  sure  that  it  is  pure  refined  metal;  that 
she  is  good  and  true,  and  worthy  to  be  the  mistress  of 
Vclzin.' 

Ever  more  and  more  distinctly  these  words,  at  first 
faint  and  shadowy,  rang  in  his  ears.  His  mother's 
image  arose  before  his  mental  vision.  Ho  shuddered, 
and  as  he  looked  abi'oad  over  field  and  fell,  all  nature 
seemed  to  take  on  a  gray  ghostly  hue. 

Magnus  Treffenbach  could  never  carry  homo  a  Vio- 
lotta  Fouquet  to  the  old  house  where  his  mother  had 
lived.     Impossible  I 

This  thought  had  been  so  foreign  to  his  mind  that 
it  had  not  occurred  to  him  before.  He  loved  her — 
ah,  now  first  he  knew  how  truly,  how  passionately, 
with  what  delicious  pain !  But  there  was  that  within 
him  that  was  stronger  than  this  flame :  his  pride,  his 
egotism.  These  were  not  the  names  he  gave  it.  Even 
supposing  that  he  could  be  insane  enough  to  offer  her 
his  name,  what  place  was  there  for  her  in  his  home  ? 
She  was  not  made  for  an  idyl  upon  the  shore  of  that 
calm,  flower-strewn  lake.  She  would  perish  in  that 
solitude  like  a  rose  in  the  desert. 

Thus  pt'ide  excused  its  cruelty.  And  still  the  tor- 
tured heart  pleaded,  '  Oh,  grant  me  my  rights  I  She 
is  so  young,  so  gentle  ;  she  will  adapt  herself  to  every- 
thing!' 

She  ?  Never !  True,  she  is  still  young  and  gentle,  but 
what  will  she  bo  in  the  future  ?    She  has  her  mother's 


224  VIOLETT  A 

voice,  her  eyes,  her  nature ;  fancy  presenting  yourself 
beside  that  calm  death-bed  with  Yioletta  Fouquet,  the 
trained  ballet-girl,  the  daughter  of  an  actress,  and 
saying  to  your  mother,  '  Here  is  the  future  mistress 
of  Velzin,  my  wife.' 

The  struggle  ended.  Treffenbach  passed  his  hand 
across  his  brow  and  turned  to  his  companion.  As  their 
eyes  met,  something  that  had  lived  and  shone  in  his 
seemed  extinguished. 

"  How  silent  you  are !"  Violetta  said,  smiling,  touch- 
ing her  horse  with  her  whip,  so  that  it  paced  close 
beside  her  companion's.  "  Are  you  thinking  of  this 
lovely,  peaceful  summer  evening  ?" 

"No,"  he  replied,  with  an  effort.  "I  was  think- 
ing of  the  future." 

"  Ah  ?  "What  are  you  going  to  do  in  the  future  ?" 
she  asked,  curiously. 

Every  word  that  he  now  uttered  cost  him  a  struggle, 
and  yet  it  must  be  said.  It  would  be  like  signing  and 
sealing  a  document.  "  I  have  received  a  notice  to  re- 
port myself  as  Secretary  of  Legation  in  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro,— that  is  what  I  must  do." 

At  first  she  looked  puzzled,  then  she  asked,  in  dis- 
may, "  Go  to  America  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Oh,  that  is  nonsense  I  You  are  only  jesting,"  she 
said,  confidently. 

"  Most  certainly  not.  Before  I  came  to  Teplitz  I 
had  determined  to  go." 

"  That  is  not  true !     That  is  not  true !" 

"  It  is  true !" 

She  looked  at  him,  and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears. 
"  You  will  not  so  grieve  your  father ;  oh,  no,  you  can- 
not ?"  she  pleaded,  in  a  trembling  voice. 


A  WAKENING  225 

"  I  am  afraid  I  must.  Yioletta,  we  must  not  yield 
to  such  considerations  when  real  interests  are  at  stake. 
My  father  knows  this.  The  six  weeks  that  we  have 
passed  together  have  been — very  pleasant,  but  they 
were  holidays.  The  declaration,  '  no  more  separations 
as  long  as  we  live,'  cannot  really  be  fulfilled.  Oh,  my 
child,  do  not  cry  so !"  he  interrupted  himself,  passion- 
ately ;  "  do  not  use  this  means  to — turn  me  from  my 
duty.  I  must  go  back  to  my  work,  and  you — when  I 
see  you  again  you  will  be  married,  and  my  father — 
believe  me — he  does  not  need  us  both  I" 

He  forced  his  horse  up  close  beside  her  so  that  ho 
could  take  from  her  eyes  the  hand  that  covered  them 
and  search  their  depths  to  see  whether  those  hot  tears 
were  shed  for  him.  Had  they  been  so  shed,  perhaps  his 
resolution  would  have  yielded,  and  the  bulwai'k  of  his 
arrogance  and  Pharisaic  pride  would  have  crumbled 
beneath  the  omnipotence  of  love ;  but  no !  These 
were  the  tears  of  a  child,  and  her  grief  was  that  of 
an  unselfish  child,  as  she  sobbed  forth  reproachfully, 
"Oh,  it  is  wrong,  very,  very  wrong!  It  will  bi'eak 
his  heart.  Oh,  what  shall  I  do?  I  dread  the  fu- 
ture !" 

"  And  so  do  I,  Yioletta.  A  desolate  future  lies  be- 
fore me,  but  I  must  be  strong  to  go  forth  to  meet  it, — 
to  labour  and  to  struggle,  resisting  the  allurements 
and  temptations  of  the  world." 

She  dined  her  tears,  still  murmuring,  "Your  poor 
father ;  it  is  not  right,  Magnus,  it  is  not  right." 

He  talked  seriously  and  conclusively  to  her,  speak- 
ing like  a  man  instructing  a  child.  Ho  talked  of  duty, 
of  labour,  of  what  life  requires  of  us.  She  listened  in 
silence.  From  time  to  time  a  sob  shook  her  delicate 
frame,  and  once  she  dropped  the  bridle  and  clasped 
P 


226  VIOLETTA 

her  arms  about  the  horse's  neck,  murmuring,  "  Oh,  I 
am  afraid !  I  am  afraid  !" 

Of  what  ?  She  did  not  herself  know.  It  seemed  to 
her  that  if  he  went  away  a  heavy  burden  must  fall 
upon  her, — a  burden  not  too  heavy  for  his  strong  shoul- 
ders, but  beneath  which  she  should  be  crushed.  And 
this  burden  was  life. 

Thus  they  rode  through  the  darkening  shadows, 
and  to  both  the  lovely  landscape  around  them  looked 
changed,  grimly  distorted. 

"When  they  reached  the  villa,  they  heard  from 
within  the  laughing  voices  of  those  who  had  arrived 
before  them.  Treifenbach  dismounted  in  silence  to 
lift  his  companion  from  her  horse.  "  Good-night,  Vio- 
letta,"  he  said,  in  a  low  tone. 

She  was  standing  on  the  veranda  steps.  For  a  mo- 
ment she  hesitated,  and  then  she  threw  her  arms  about 
him  as  once  before,  and  whispered,  with  a  world  of 
caressing  entreaty  in  her  voice,  "  Oh,  stay,  stay,  stay ! 
Do  not  leave  us  I    I  beg,  I  implore  you  as  my  brother !" 

He  did  not  now  thrust  her  from  him.  Trembling 
with  agitation,  he  gently  loosened  her  clasping  arms 
and  put  them  from  him ;  his  voice  was  not  harsh,  out 
full  of  pain,  as  he  said,  almost  inaudibly,  "  Violetta, 
Violetta !  do  not  tempt  me  beyond  my  strength.  You 
beg  me  to  stay,  but  it  is  from  you,  you  that  I  must  flee, 
— you  who  make  my  father's  home  mine  no  more 
forever.  Can  you  understand  this,  child?  No,  no, 
you  cannot!" 

With  a  profound  sigh,  he  turned,  took  both  horses 
by  their  bridles,  and  slowly  walked  away. 

At  some  distance  from  the  villa  he  looked  back,  and 
through  the  darkness  could  still  perceive  a  dark  figure 
leaning  against  the  balustrade  of  the  veranda.     Yes, 


RA  VENHORST' S  'YOUNG   MÄSTER'  227 

he  even  fancied  that  he  could  see  the  pale,  reproachful 
little  face,  which  he  felt  must  haunt  his  memory  all 
throui{h  his  future  life. 


CHAPTEK    XXI 

ravenhorst's  'tounq  master' 

"Oh,  yes,  it  was  to  be.  I  always  said  my  Fräulein 
would  be  sure  to  marry  a  Count  and  be  a  Countess 
like  her  blessed  mother.  I  am  sure  ever}'^  one  could 
see  it  just  to  look  at  her." 

Thus  spoke  Doris,  the  old  housekeeper  at  Eaven- 
horst,  as  she  was  walking  through  the  suite  of  rooms 
in  the  second  story  of  the  old  mansion,  feather-duster 
in  hand,  making  sure  that  everything  was  in  readi- 
ness for  the  young  couple  to  be  installed  here.  The 
windows  were  wide  open  everywhere,  and  a  soft,  deli- 
cious air  was  wafted  through  the  rooms,  whence  there 
was  a  charming  view,  over  and  beyond  the  trees  on 
the  tei-race,  of  a  wide  stretch  of  country.  This  story 
had  been  occupied  by  Marie  Louise's  parents  during 
their  brief  married  life,  and  everything  had  remained 
in  its  old  order, — the  pictui'es  on  the  walls,  the  furni- 
ture, the  bi'ic-a-brac  on  tables  and  shelves,  which 
Fran  Doris  had  dusted  so  carefully, — nothing  had  been 
changed.  The  housekeeper  passed  into  the  next  room, 
the  one  devoted  specially  to  the  'young  master.'  Hero 
the  fine  collection  of  weapons,  the  stuffed  eagle  over 
the  book-case,  the  turning-lathe,  and  a  cabinet  of  min- 
erals, all  bore  witness  to  the  tastes  of  its  former  owner, 


228  VIOLETTA 

the  young  Herr  von  Plattow.  In  the  adjoining  study 
and  smoking-room  the  walls  were  lined  with  books. 
An  oaken  writing-table,  a  reclining-chair  covered  with 
a  panther-skin,  a  large  fireplace,  and  a  pipe-rack,  about 
which  Frau  Doris's  feather-brush  fluttered  persistently, 
made  this  room  look  very  comfortable.  Here  the  future 
master  might  smoke  his  dozen  Havanas  daily  without 
fearing  to  spoil  the  curtains,  for  the  hangings  had  been 
chosen  by  Grandmamma  Plattow  with  magnanimous 
consideration,  and  were  covered  with  a  tracery  of 
brown  that  looked  like  wreaths  of  smoke. 

Frau  Doris  wiped  away  a  tear  as  she  gazed  around 
her.  Twenty-five  years  ago  she  had  aired  these  rooms, 
when  everything  was  fresh  and  new,  and  when  she 
was  expecting  a  young  couj)le  for  whom  she  prayed 
for  health,  happiness,  and  a  long  life. 

The  old  woman  became  aware  that  she  was  no 
longer  alone.  Frau  von  Plattow  had  come  up,  and 
was  standing  in  the  door-way,  lost  in  memories  of  her 
son  so  early  lost,  and  of  her  lovely  daughter-in-law. 

"  Everything  looks  as  it  should,  Doris.  Marie  Louise 
will  be  glad  to  find  nothing  changed.  Her  mother's 
papers  and  books  are  still  on  the  writing-table  just  as 
she  left  them.  I  have  been  thinking  whether  we 
might  not  put  some  flowers  in  the  rooms.  You  know, 
Doris,  my  daughter-in-law,  the  dear  child,  always  had 
her  drawing-room  filled  with  flowers,  and  every  morn- 
ing she  put  one  in  my  son's  buttonhole." 

"  Yes ;  and  the  young  master  wore  it  all  day  long, 
and  thought  it  a  great  grief  to  lose  it." 

"  They  were  so  young  and  happy."  And  the  old 
lady  sighed. 

"  Madame  will  allow  me  to  say  that  I  like  the  young 
Count,  too,  very  much.     He  has  such  a  kindly  look  in 


RAVENHORSTS  '  VOUNO   MASTER'  229 

his  eyes.  Noav,  Baron  Magnus  has  known  ine  since 
ho  was  a  boy,  and  he  was  always  very  polite  to  me, 
but  very  formal.  But  the  Herr  Count  took  my  hand 
in  both  his,  and  called  me  '  my  dear  Doris.'  Oh,  he  is 
a  pleasant  gentleman !  And  our  Fräulein, — she  suits 
him.  Yes,  yes!  But  flowers?  No,  I  would  not  put 
them  in  her  room.  She  is  not  used  to  them.  She 
isn't  like  other  girls,  who  think  of  nothing  but  their 
birds  and  rose-bushes.  Our  Fräulein  has  better  things 
to  think  of,  and  we  must  remember  it.  It  is  not  given 
to  every  one  to  remain  a  child  while  life  lasts,  like  our 
blessed  young  mistress  now  above." 

Doris  was  privileged,  and  always  had  a  word  to  say 
in  defence  of  her  young  mistress  when  her  grand- 
mother looked  so  anxious,  and  Frau  von  Plattow  lis- 
tened gladl}'.  She  would  hope  for  the  best.  So  she 
nodded  to  the  old  woman  standing  there  smoothing 
down  her  white  apron  and  eager  to  praise  her  young 
mistress,  and  went  down-stairs  to  join  her  husband  on 
the  terrace,  where  he  was  waiting  impatiently  for  the 
arrivals.     They  might  come  now  at  any  moment. 

A  week  before,  a  very  quiet  Avedding  had  bestowed 
upon  Count  Armin  Hess  the  beautiful  and  much-cov- 
eted hand  of  Marie  Louise  von  Plattow,  a  fact  that 
surprised  no  one  so  much  as  it  did  himself.  During 
the  period  of  his  betrothal  he  had  paid  but  one  visit 
to  Eavenhorst,  having  been  intrusted  with  some  im- 
portant diplomatic  business  which  could  not  be  neg- 
lected. At  last,  in  Sei^tember,  he  was  free, — free  for- 
ever,— and  was  determined  to  see  his  betrothed,  to 
solve  the  problem  in  which  ho  was  so  interested.  It 
was  not  enough  for  him  to  possess  her  hand,  he  must 
win  her  heart.  But  she  wrote  to  him  with  a  com- 
posure that  looked  almost  business-like,  'My  grand- 

20 


230  VlöLETTA 

parents  Lave  fixed  upon  the  18th  for  our  marriage,  be- 
cause it  is  the  anniversary  of  the  wedding-day  of  my 
parents.  This  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  me,  if  you 
have  no  objection  to  suggest.' 

Of  course  he  had  no  objection,  but  he  could  not 
reach  Eavenhorst  until  the  17th. 

They  had  exchanged  but  few  letters.  Hess  was  a 
miserable  correspondent,  as  Marie  Louise  knew  from 
her  cousin  Magnus,  who  had  frequently  complained 
of  the  impossibility  of  any  written  intercourse  with 
his  best  friend.  She  was  reasonable  and  not  exacting, 
and  he, — with  the  best  will  in  the  world  he  really 
would  hardly  have  known  what  to  write  to  a  betrothed 
whom  he  scarcely  knew,  and  whose  acceptance  of  his 
proposal  had  been  won  he  scarcely  knew  how. 

And  yet  the  thought  of  her  had  an  inexpressible 
charm  for  him, — the  charm  of  mystery,  of  inscruta- 
bility. From  the  first  moment  he  had  felt  that  she 
was  his  destiny,  from  which  he  could  not  escape,  and 
did  not  w^ish  to  escape.  He  calmly  waited  for  its 
fulfilment. 

And  so  he  came  to  Eavenhorst,  and  the  marriage 
was  celebrated.  The  aged  pastor  performed  the  cere- 
mony in  the  beautiful  Eavenhorst  church  which  Marie 
Louise,  upon  coming  of  age,  had  had  restored.  The 
old  pastor  had  baptized  her  father  fifty  years  before, 
and  his  voice  was  choked  with  emotion  as  he  thought 
of  the  trials  that  the  family  had  undergone  since  then. 
Armin  Hess  was  very  tender-hearted.  His  own  eyes 
grew  moist  at  sight  of  the  old  man's  agitation,  and 
this  won  him  old  Frau  von  Plattow's  heart  forever. 
Marie  Louise  was  less  charmed  by  this  evidence  of 
feeling  upon  the  part  of  her  betrothed.  It  is  always 
incongruous   when   bride   and   bridegroom   exchange 


RAVENHORST'S  '  YOUNO   MASTER'  231 

characteristics.  She  felt  that  she  ought  to  atone  for 
his  weakness,  and  she  stood  before  the  altar  a  perfect 
statue  of  marble,  glittering  like  ice  from  head  to  foot 
in  stiff,  shining  silk,  her  gold-gleaming  hair  hidden  be- 
neath her  white  veil,  her  lovely  Greek  face  as  white 
as  alabaster, — indeed,  its  pallor  was  almost  terrifying. 
For  to  Marie  Louise  this  step  in  her  life  was  gravely 
important.  All  the  struggles,  all  the  decisive  moments 
that  had  preceded  this  day,  passed  in  review  before  her 
mind.  She  examined  herself  seriously,  to  be  sure  that 
she  had  nothing  with  which  to  reproach  herself, — that 
she  had  acted  conscientiously  for  the  best.  Her  con- 
science was  easy.  Even  an  enemy  could  not  accuse  her 
of  giving  her  consent  with  giddy  haste  or  blinded  by 
passion.  No  indeed.  She  had  rejected  many  suitors 
because  she  really  did  not  wish  to  marry.  She 
thought  she  owed  this  to  Ti-effenbach.  When  his 
friend  appeared,  recommended  by  Magnus  himself. 
Count  Hess  could  not  have  been  more  surjirised  by  her 
consent  than  she  was  by  his  proposal.  But  it  came 
as  if  providentially,  just  at  a  time  when  she  was  more 
than  ever  conscious  that  Ravenhorst  needed  a  master. 
There  had  remained  with  her  a  dim  remembrance  of  a 
handsome,  taciturn  man  who  would  sit  and  listen  for 
an  hour  at  a  time  when  she  was  talking  with  Magnus, 
who  was  kindly  attentive  to  her  grandparents,  whoso 
face  wore  in  her  memorj^  an  inquiring,  investigating 
expression,  and  whose  dark  blue  eyes  rested  search- 
ingly  upon  her.  Marie  Louise  was  so  entirely  free 
from  vanity  that  it  never  occurred  to  her  that  her 
rare  beauty  could  be  the  object  of  this  study.  She 
supposed,  'He  is  one  of  those  who  do  not  find  the 
world  content  them,  who  long  for  repose  and  seclusion, 
who  ponder  the  serious  problems  of  the  age  and  feel 


232  VIOLETTA 

themselves  drawn  to  us  who  have  learned  to  discuss 
them.'  The  man  had  interested  her  formerly,  and  this 
interest  was  roused  afresh.  She  pondered,  considered, 
struggled  with  her  pride  that  was  loath  to  sacrifice 
her  freedom,  and  gave  her  consent  upon  the  same  con- 
ditions that  she  had  formerly  proposed  to  Treffenbach. 

And  now  she  trembled  as  the  old  pastor  pronounced 
the  words  of  the  Lutheran  service :  '  And  ho  shall  be 
thy  master!' 

Her  master?  Never!  Marie  Louise  von  Plattow 
recognizes  no  earthly  master.  Could  not  that  feeble 
old  man  find  words  in  Holy  Writ  that  signified  '  I  give 
thee  a  helpmeet'  ? 

For  let  him  be  what  he  might,  in  the  end  he  would 
be  what  she  who  ruled  every  one  chose  to  make 
him.  But  how  if  he  should  not  be  the  right  one? 
The  thought  brought  with  it  a  shock  of  terror,  A 
silly  phrase  which  she  had  once  heard  from  Ehona 
Bellwitz  occurred  to  her:  'Marriage  is  a  lottery,' 
When  she  heard  it  she  had  turned  away  indignantly ; 
now  it  fell  heavy  on  her  heart.  She  had  staked  her 
all  upon  a  single  number.  Even  now  the  fateful  wheel 
was  turning.  What  would  her  prize  be  ?  Or  should 
she  draw  a  blank  ? 

When  this  sudden  doubt  assailed  her  she  grew  not 
only  as  white  but  as  cold  as  marble.  Her  heart 
seemed  to  stand  still.  But  this  did  not  last.  The 
man  whom  Magnus  Treffenbach  called  friend  could 
not  but  be  her  friend  also. 

It  was  arranged  that  the  j^oung  couple  should  go  to 
the  Ehine,  Count  Armin  wished  to  pi-esent  his  wife 
to  his  mother,  whose  state  of  health  had  prevented 
her  presence  at  his  marriage,  and  Marie  Louise  had 
agreed  that  it  should  be  so. 


RAVENHORSrS  'YOUNG  MASTER'  233 

Coldly  and  calmly  she  liad  entered  the  travelling- 
carriage,  and  as  coldly  and  calmly  she  descended  from 
it  to-day  when  it  drew  up  before  the  house. 

"  Welcome,  dear  children !"  cried  Frau  von  Plattow, 
going  with  outstretched  arms  to  meet  the  pair. 

Count  Hess  subniitted  quietly  to  the  old  lady's  ma- 
ternal embrace.  He  even  stooped  down  that  he  might 
be  patted  on  the  shoulder  and  kissed  on  the  cheek, 
remarking  to  his  young  wife  as  he  did  so,  "Look, 
Molly ;  this  is  the  way  to  do  it." 

She  passed  him  with  a  proud  glance  and  a  shrug, 
and  went  up  to  present  her  cheek  to  be  kissed  by  her 
grandfather. 

All  the  old  servants  were  assembled,  Frau  Doris  at 
their  head  in  a  high  muslin  cap  and  armed  with  a 
formal  congratulatory  speech.  Between  their  ranks 
the  bride  mounted  the  steps.  Marie  Louise  von  Plat- 
tow  had  always  presented  a  distinguished  appearance 
in  her  delicate,  proud  beauty,  but  as  Countess  Hess, 
on  the  arm  of  her  handsome  husband,  she  looked  posi- 
tively queen-like. 

The  young  people  were  led  to  their  suite  of  rooms 
by  the  grandparents  and  Frau  Doris.  Here  the  old 
lady  turned  to  her  grandson-in-law,  and  again  wel- 
comed him,  her  voice  trembling  with  emotion.  Ho 
took  her  hand  and  carried  it  to  his  lips :  "  You  are  too 
kind  to  me,  mamma  dear;  all  I  ask  is  your  forbear- 
ance, for  I  am  no  Magnus  Treffenbach,  only  a  very 
commonplace  fellow,  and  the  honour  done  me  by  Mario 
Louise  in  accepting  me  will  forever  be  inexplicable  to 
me.  Still,  she  has  done  it,  and  my  love  must  atone  for 
what  I  lack  otherwise." 

As  ho  spoke  ho  looked  at  the  young  Countess.  She 
was   standing   at    her  writing-table,   examining    the 

20* 


234  VIOLETTA 

addresses  of  the  letters  that  had  arrived  during  her 
absence.  Her  brows  were  contracted,  her  lips  com- 
pressed ;  the  expi-ession  of  her  face  was  not  encourag- 
ing. She  stayed  where  she  was,  whilst  her  husband 
walked  on  through  the  rooms  with  Frau  von  Plattow 
and  admired  and  praised  everything  to  please  the  old 
lady.  Truth  to  tell,  he  cared  very  little  about  the 
rooms.  In  front  of  the  endless  array  of  books  in  his 
study  he  paused,  and  with  lifted  brows  began,  as  he 
twisted  his  long  moustache,  to  read  over  some  of  the 
titles, — 'Culture  of  the  Soil,'  'Cattle-breeding,'  'Forest- 
laws,'  '  Eotation  of  Crops,'  '  Turnip-culture,'  '  The  Ap- 
plication of  Guano,'  '  Our  Breed  of  Sheep.'  At  last  he 
began  to  laugh.  "  Good  heavens,  is  the  learning  of 
an  entire  university  necessary  to  keep  a  single  estate 
in  order?  And  Marie  Louise  attends  to  it  all  en  pas- 
sant !     Admirable  indeed !" 

"  "We  have  very  excellent  and  experienced  in- 
spectors." 

"  Ah,  indeed  ?  that  is  well.  I  am  an  abominably 
lazy  dog,  and  it  would  be  terrible  to  have  to  read  all 
these  books." 

"  Oh,  all  that  will  come  of  itself,  I  am  certain,"  the 
old  lady  said,  kindly ;  "  the  principal  consideration 
is  that  you  should  learn  to  love  us  a  little,  and  be 
contented  with  us  old  people.  My  dear  Armin,  my 
husband  and  I  took  a  fancy  to  j'ou  when  we  first 
Icnew  you,  and  I  have  always  had  a  presentiment 
that  some  day  you  would  be  very  near  to  us.  Now 
the  time  has  come  when  I  can  call  you  my  dear  son, 
and  I  pray  you  to  drop  all  formal  modes  of  speech 
and  address  us  as  you  would  your  own  father  and 
mother." 

As  she  spoke  she  was  deeply  moved,  and  her  emotion 


RAVENHORSTS  '  YOUNG   MASTER'  235 

was  shared  by  the  tender-hearted  man,  who  kissed  her 
hand  with,  "  A  thousand  thanks,  mamma."  The  old 
lady  then  rejoined  her  husband,  and  they  went  down- 
stairs together. 

As  the  glass  door  closed  behind  them,  Count  Hess 
was  seized  with  an  irresistible  desire  to  laugh.  The 
young  husband  had  been  exchanging  assurances  of 
affection  with  the  grandmother,  whilst  his  lovely 
bride,  seated  at  her  writing-table,  was  conning  a  stat- 
istical report  as  to  the  victims  of  brandy  every  year 
in  Germany  and  England. 

His  outburst  of  merriment  caused  the  Countess 
Marie  Louise  to  lay  aside  her  pamphlet  a-nd  to  inquire, 
in  a  tone  of  some  annoyance,  why  he  was  laughing. 
She  saw  nothing  to  provoke  laughter.  Did  the  house 
seem  to  him  old-fashioned  and  ridiculous  ? 

"  Oh,  dear  heart  (forgive  the  familiar  appellation), 
this  house  is  charming,  and  your  old  people  are  most 
venerable.    No,  I  took  the  liberty  of  laughing  at  you." 

"  At  me  ?"  she  asked,  opening  wide  her  eyes  ;  "  and 
pray  will  you  kindly  tell  me  what  you  find  to  laugh 
at  in  me  ?" 

"  Your  objectivity  diverts  me  immensely." 

She  looked  puzzled,  and  then  slowly  averted  her 
glance,  as  if  it  were  really  not  worth  while  to  find  out 
what  he  meant.  She  went  on  opening  the  drawers  of 
her  writing-table  and  arranging  her  books  and  papers, 
for  it  had  been  her  mother's  and  she  was  now  to  take 
possession  of  it.  Frau  Doris  presented  herself  with 
an  amnful  of  account-books. 

"Ah,  the  house-books,"  Marie  Louise  said,  calmly 
*'  they  must  be  put  in  this  drawer.    These  old  papers 
must  be  taken  away :  they  are  letters  and  diaries  of 
my  mother's." 


236  VIOLETTA 

A  little  portfolio,  tied  together  with  ribbon,  fell  upon 
the  floor;  the  silken  string  broke,  and  a  number  of 
small  manuscript  sheets  were  scattered  here  and  there. 
Count  Hess  instantly  stooped,  as  did  Doris,  to  pick 
them  up.  Upon  most  of  them  were  written  simply  a 
few  caressing  words.  Armin  saw  the  old  housekeeper's 
face  change,  and  he  asked  what  this  miniature  corre- 
spondence was. 

"Ah,  dear  me!"  sighed  Doris,  "she  was  such  a 
child, — the  Countess's  mother,  I  mean.  She  was  al- 
ways writing  notes  to  her  husband  in  the  next  room. 
Twenty-five  years  ago  I  was  brisk  enough,  and  I  used 
to  carry  them  from  one  room  to  the  other  and  bring 
back  the  answers.  There  they  all  are  together.  And 
when  he  was  sometimes  absent  in  the  forest  or  on 
the  farms  all  day,  she  had  a  boy  for  a  messenger, 
who  used  to  carry  him  little  notes  written  in  French. 
Ah,  I  can  see  her  now  as  she  sat  there  in  that  window 
while  my  master  was  busy  in  his  study;  she  would 
not  disturb  him,  but  would  write  on  her  little  scraps 
of  paper,  and  her  fair  curls  would  hang  about  her 
lovely  face,  and  then  I  must  come  and  carry  the  bit 
of  paper  to  him  and  lay  it  on  his  desk  just  where  he 
could  see  it." 

Count  Hess  put  all  the  sheets  carefully  back  into 
the  portfolio.  "  That's  a  delightful  idea,"  he  said. 
"  Why  should  not  we  do  just  so,  Marie  Louise  ?  What 
isthat?    Let  me  see!" 

"  I  beg  you,  Armin,  not  to  shake  it ;  it  seems  to  be  a 
package  of  dried  flowers,"  she  said,  impatiently.  His 
presence  worried  her,  as  one  is  worried  by  a  great  boy 
lounging  about  a  room  meddling  with  this  and  that 
and  interrupting  one  by  continual  questions. 

"  Should  you  not  like  to  make  the  tour  of  the  stables, 


RAVENHORSTS  'YOUNG  MASTER'  237 

Armin  ?  You  will  hear  the  bell  ring  when  it  is  dinner- 
time. And  would  you  kindly  tell  the  inspector  that  I 
wish  to  see  him  immediately  ?" 

"  Is  the  inspector  a  young  man  ?"  he  asked,  gravely. 
"  Yes  ?  No,  you  must  not  demand  such  self-sacrifice 
of  me.  Allow  me  to  take  a  seat  in  this  arm-chair, 
and  give  me  a  paper-knife  to  play  with, — there.  Now 
listen,  my  angel:  your  grandmother  is  a  charming 
woman ;  you  might  learn  several  things  of  her." 

"  What,  for  example  ?"  she  asked,  in  a  resigned 
tone. 

"  How  inquisitive  you  are  !  Why,  for  example,  how 
to  give  a  gracious  kiss." 

She  looked  angrily  at  him ;  a  flush  mantled  her 
cheek,  and  she  murmured,  "  Childish  !" 

"  What  did  you  say  ?  It  sounded  like  '  the  nonsense 
of  childish  fools.'  So  you  do  not  agree  with  me? 
Marie  Louise," — he  looked  round,  but  Frau  Doris  had 
left  the  room, — "  I  do  not  wish  to  seem  exacting,  but 
since  your  venerable  shepherd  of  souls  joined  our 
hands  in  holy  matrimony,  you  have  not  deigned  to 
bestow  upon  me  a  single  kind  look.  This  is  a  little 
depressing.     What  have  I  done?" 

Yes,  what?  She  leaned  her  head  upon  her  hand, 
and  gazed  with  blank,  tearless  eyes  out  of  the  window. 

Good  heavens !  what  was  she  to  do  with  this  blank 
that  the  wheel  of  fortune  had  cast  at  her  feet?  For 
she  had  long  since  confessed  to  herself,  with  paralyz- 
ing terror,  that  she  had  made  a  fearful  mistake, — she 
had  become  the  companion  for  life  of  a  man  with 
whom  she  could  do  absolutely  nothing, — a  man  who 
spent  all  his  time  from  morning  until  night  in  laugh- 
ing and  talking  of  his  love.  It  was  enough  to  make  one 
shed  tears  of  blood ! 


238  VIOLETTA 

"  My  child,"  he  began  again,  after  a  pause,  "  kindly 
give  me  the  letter  to  read  which  my  friend  Magnus 
wrote  to  you  about  me.  I  have  always  had  a  suspi- 
cion that  he  portrayed  me  to  you  as  a  weeping-willow, 
and  that  this  portrait  had  a  certain  attraction  for  you. 
Confess,  now,  that  you  accepted  me  only  because  of  his 
recommendation." 

She  looked  steadily  at  him :  "  I  accepted  you  be- 
cause I  knew  that  you  were  his  friend,  and  because  I 
supposed  that  your  views  coincided." 

"  They  run  precisely  counter  to  each  other." 

Marie  Louise  jiressed  her  hands  upon  her  temples, 
and  then  held  her  head  erect, —  a  gesture  of  de- 
spair. 

"  But,  my  angel,  it  is  a  fact  that  my  views,  so  to 
speak,  inconvenience  no  one,  which  is  more  than  can 
be  said  of  his." 

"That  means,"  she  interrupted  him,  with  flashing 
eyes,  "  that  you  have  no  pi-inciples ;  you  believe 
nothing,  you  aspire  to  nothing,  you  contend  for 
nothing." 

"  Granting  all  that  you  say,  do  you  suppose  that  I 
would  make  horse-cloths  out  of  your  ecclesiastical 
embroidery,  or  turn  your  infant  schools  into  liquor- 
shops  ?" 

She  looked  at  him  contemptuously,  and  turned  away 
with,  "You  would  find  such  a  course  attended  with 
some  difficulty." 

A  pause  ensued.  If  she  thought  she  had  impressed 
him  she  was  disappointed.  His  thoughts  had  wan- 
dered elsewhere,  and  he  asked  very  amiably,  "  Tell 
me,  do  you  never  have  flowers  in  your  rooms?" 

"No,  never." 

"  And  why  not  ?" 


RAVENHORSTS  'YOUNG   MASTER'  239 

"  I  see  no  use  in  keeping  plants  in  a  room  when 
they  grow  much  better  out  of  doors." 

"  It  is  a  pity  you  should  not  perceive  the  use  of  it," 
he  rejoined,  dryly.  "Your  mother  certainly  had 
flowers  here,  and  as  certainly  could  now  and  then 
stick  one  in  her  husband's  buttonhole  or  hat." 

"  Probably.  Her  youth  excused  her  for  wasting 
her  time  in  such  a  way.  But  I  really  must  beg  you, 
Armin,  to  go  away  now,  for  it  is  time  for  me  to  dress 
for  dinner." 

He  obeyed  with  a  protest.  On  the  threshold  ho 
turned  and  kissed  his  hand  to  her.  A  gloomy  look 
was  his  only  reward. 

When  she  was  alone,  she  stood  motionless  for  a 
while  in  the  middle  of  her  room,  and  covered  her  eyes 
with  her  hand,  conscious  of  a  dull,  weary  pain.  She 
seemed  to  herself  betrayed,  sold.  Her  mind  was  chafed 
by  the  constantly  recurring  question,  *  What  shall  I 
do  with  him  ?' 

As  if  by  the  touch  of  a  sorcerer's  wand  her  entire 
position  has  been  changed.  She  has  been  taken  from 
her  own  old  rooms  and  brought  up  here,  where  her 
repose  is  destroyed  by  an  insufferable  intruder.  She 
never  can  be  rid  of  him.  Where  she  is,  there  he 
is.  He  watches  her,  annoys  her,  questions  her ;  he 
smokes,  he  laughs,  he  chatters  stupid  nonsense.  And 
he  is  the  husband  who,  she  had  once  hoped,  would 
bo  her  friend,  her  co-labourer,  her  sensible  adviser  I 
Instead  of  this  she  looks  down  upon  him.  What  he 
says  seems  to  her  puerile.  She  cannot  feel  the  slight- 
est respect  for  his  attainments.  He  surely  never 
learned  anything,  or  took  interest  in  anything;  ho 
must  have  been  one  of  those  idlers  who  play  so  piti- 
able a  part  in  the  schools,  but  shine  all  the  more  bril- 


240  VIOLETT  A 

liantly  in  society  because  women  rave  over  such 
amiable,  easy  coxcombs,  while  a  Treffenbach  is  passed 
by  unheeded. 

Her  heart  grew  cold  and  hard,  and  her  face  wore  a 
look  of  icy  disdain  when,  half  an  hour  afterwards,  he 
came  to  take  her  down  to  dinner. 

"  How  beautiful  you  are !"  he  said,  with  ardent  ad- 
miration, entirely  ignoring  her  air  of  tragic  suffering, 
as  he  offered  her  his  arm  and  conducted  her  down  the 
stairs. 


CHAPTEE    XXII 

A   NEW   ERA   AT   RAVENHORST 

The  worst  of  it  was  that  the  man  was  so  incorrigibly 
merry.  The  old  people  smiled  and  laughed  all  through 
dinner.  The  inspector,  too,  began  to  laugh  behind 
his  napkin,  and  the  housekeeper  giggled  audibly.  The 
vaulted  dining-hall,  with  its  high,  grated,  arched  win- 
dows and  its  carved  oaken  sideboards,  black  with 
age,  had  seen  no  such  joyous  meal  for  many  a  long 
year.  The  young  Countess  alone  looked  darkly  grave. 
But,  then,  no  one  expected  her  to  join  in  the  laughter. 

After  dinner,  the  two  ladies,  with  the  Count,  went 
out  on  the  terrace,  while  the  old  Herr  retired  to  the 
garden-hall  for  his  siesta.  Grandmamma  sacrificed 
hers  on  this  one  day.  They  drank  their  coffee,  and 
Marie  Louise  sewed,  and  Count  Hess  told  of  the  time 
he  had  spent  in  Teplitz.  He  spoke  of  her  beautiful 
Excellency,   of    Fräulein    Violetta,   of    Treffenbach's 


A   NEW  ERA   AT  RAVENHORST  241 

noble  placability,  with  an  ease  and  assurance  that 
eeemed  levity  to  his  wife.  She  did  not  wish  to  hear 
anything  of  those  women,  and  yet  she  had  to  listen, 
for  she  was  interested  to  learn  how  soon  her  prophecy 
had  been  fulfilled  and  Magnus  had  been  gained  over 
by  them.  She  would  have  liked  to  know  whether 
the  reason  for  his  going  to  South  America  really 
were  to  be  found  in  his  fear  lest  he  should  lose  his 
heart  entirely?  Impossible!  Had  he  not  known  a 
Marie  Louise  ? 

At  last  Count  Hess  arose,  remarking  that  he  would 
now  inspect  his  future  sphere  of  action,  beginning 
with  the  stables. 

They  both  looked  after  him  as  he  walked  off  briskly, 
swinging  his  light  cane  in  the  air  and  whistling  the 
same  waltz  which  had  so  irritated  Marie  Louise  all 
through  their  journey.  His  '  sjjhere  of  action' !  She 
smiled  sarcastically.  He  had  evidently  charmed  her 
good,  weak  grandmother  with  that  ridiculous  phrase. 

"Marie  Louise,"  said  the  old  lady,  highly  gratified, 
"  that  is  a  delightful  fellow.  Now  tell  me  about  his 
mother.  You  did  not  write,  and  you  have  told  mo 
nothing." 

"  Because  there  is  nothing  to  tell.  His  parents  live 
in  a  small  villa  near  Cologne.  His  father  played  a 
rubber  of  whist  every  evening  with  his  son  and  a 
couple  of  pensioned  comrades,  and  discussed  army  mat- 
ters. The  mother  is  a  paralytic,  but  she  dressed  very 
elegantly,  overwhelmed  me  with  fine  phrases  and 
flattery,  and  talked  of  the  balls  she  had  been  to  when 
she  was  young,  and  of  her  dear  Armin's  distinguished 
air  and  beautiful  hands.  Oh,  they  were  three  very 
edifying  and  instructive  days,  and  just  now  in  our 
busiest  harvest-time !  And  that  reminds  mo  that  I 
L         q  21 


242  VIOLETTA 

must  go  and  look  over  the  books  and  write  several  let- 
ters to  Berlin.  There  is  a  prosj)ect  of  my  being  unin- 
terrupted for  an  hour  or  two." 

She  was  mistaken.  Scarcely  had  she  seated  herself 
at  her  writing-table  and  begun, — 

"My    dear    Herr    Consistorial-rath, —  Your    in- 

quiiy  with  regard  to  the  contribution  to "  when 

she  heard  the  waltz  whistled  on  the  stairs  again, 
and  immediately  the  monster  in  human  form  en- 
tered. "Molly,"  he  said  to  this  young  queen,  just  as 
if  she  were  a  scullery-maid,  "  have  you  any  old  linen 
here  ?" 

She  arose  silently,  and,  going  to  a  wardrobe,  opened 
a  drawer  filled  with  pieces.  Count  Armin  followed 
her.  She  unrolled  a  bundle,  and  asked  how  much  he 
wanted. 

"  Oh,  a  good  deal.     And  have  you  any  grease  ?" 

"  For  cleaning  guns,  or  for  what  ?  You  must  go  to 
Doris,"  she  replied,  desirous  only  of  being  rid  of  this 
*  big  boy'  as  soon  as  possible. 

"  Not  for  cleaning  guns,  but  for  bandaging  an  old 
woman's  leg,"  he  said,  taking  his  cane  between  his  teeth 
and  tearing  the  linen  into  strips.  "  They  have  just 
brought  an  old  woman  into  the  stable  whom  they 
picked  up  in  the  forest,  where  she  had  cut  her  foot 
badly  with  her  axe." 

"  Who  told  her  to  go  into  the  forest  with  an  axe  ? 
She  was  stealing  wood.     Did  you  hear  her  name  ?" 

"  Mother  Schindler  is  her  noble  patronymic." 

"  Of  course.  She  is  a  notorious  vagabond  and  thief, 
who  does  not  belong  hereabouts  at  all,  but  over  near 
Dreesberg.     She  must  be  taken  there." 

"  After  a  while." 


A   NEW  ERA   AT  RAVENHORST  243 

"Let  me  entreat  you,  Armin.  You  will  give  the 
people  very  strange  ideas  of  your  respect  for  the  law 
if  you  befriend  such  a  person." 

"  But  I  am  sorry  for  the  old  hag.  It  is  a  terrible 
wound,  and  she  has  been  lying  in  the  forest  twent}'- 
four  hours,  and  is  half  starved.  Another  time,  I 
promise  you,  I  will  vindicate  my  respect  for  the  law." 
And  he  left  the  room. 

She  was  in  so  depressed  a  mood  that  even  this  little 
incident  irritated  her.  "Without  being  aware  of  what 
she  was  doing,  and  following  her  train  of  thought, 
she  inserted  in  her  letter  to  the  Consistorial-rath  re- 
marks upon  the  '"foolish  weakness  and  good  humour 
which  is  in  reality  nothing  but  cowardice  and  want  of 
resolution  to  suppress  and  condemn  sin  and  vice.  It 
makes  life  easier,  of  course,  but  such  forbearance  will 
soon  increase  falsehood,  deceit,  and  thievery  here." 
Suddenly  she  became  conscious  that  all  this  was  very 
much  out  of  place  in  this  letter,  and  she  tore  up  the 
sheet.  She  was  possessed  by  a  restlessness  that  she 
did  not  herself  understand.  How  could  that  trifling 
occurrence  so  agitate  her  that  she  was  unable  to 
carry  on  her  correspondence  correctly?  It  would 
not  do.  She  arose  and  determined  to  open  her  trunk 
and  take  out  some  books  which  she  had  bought  in 
Cologne.  She  searched  for  them  in  vain,  till  sud- 
denly she  remembered  that  Count  Hess  had  put  the 
package  into  his  trunk.  She  went  into  his  room,  where 
the  trunk  stood,  but  it  was  still  locked,  although  the  key 
lay  on  the  table.  In  doubt  whether  she  should  take  a 
liberty  with  him  which  she  certainly  would  not  have  al- 
lowed him  to  take  with  her,  she  hesitated,  and  her  eye 
fell  upon  an  old  book  that  lay  open  upon  the  table. 
He  had  perhaps  been  interrupted  in  reading  it  by  the 


244  VIOLETT  A 

sound  of  the  dinner-bell.  She  cast  a  half-startled 
glance  at  the  yellow  leaves.  It  was  a  New  Testa- 
ment, and  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  parable  of  the  good 
Samaritan.  She  closed  the  book  hastily,  seized  with 
a  sudden  dread  that  speedily  gave  place  to  shame. 
What  cause  was  there  for  fear  ?  Why  should  she  not 
read  those  words  ?  It  really  looked  like  an  accusing 
conscience. 

And  yet  her  hand  trembled  as  she  tried  to  find  the 
place  again.  As  she  turned  over  the  leaves  she  read 
on  the  fly-leaf,  "  My  dear,  dear  Armin,  you  will  not 
refuse  to  grant  your  Stefanie's  last  request  to  you, — 
read  a  few  verses  in  this  book  every  day." 

Marie  Louise  walked  to  the  window,  conscious  of  a 
strange  oppression.  She  had  undergone  a  humiliation 
against  which  her  whole  nature  revolted,  but  she  was 
too  true,  too  honourable  not  to  say  to  herself,  '  You 
have  done  him  wrong.' 

She  heard  his  step  on  the  stairs,  but  he  did  not  enter 
the  study ;  he  went  to  his  dressing-room  and  rang  for 
his  servant.  She  would  have  had  time  enough  to  run 
away,  but  she  stood  still,  struggling  with  her  proud, 
hard  heart,  which  would  not  submit,  and  yet  which 
must  submit,  cost  what  it  might ;  for  a  Marie  Louise 
could  not  endure  the  sting  of  conscience.  At  last  she 
heard  the  servant  sent  away,  and  the  curtained  door 
between  the  dressing-i'oom  and  the  study  was  flung 
open,  as,  whistling  and  with  jingling  spurs.  Count 
Armin,  in  riding-dress  and  high  boots,  entered  the 
room,  apparently  equipped  for  a  long  ride. 

"  Were  you  looking  for  me  ?"  he  asked,  quickly,  as 
he  saw  her  standing  by  the  window. 

"  No  ;  but  I  was  waiting  for  you.  I — only — wanted 
to  say " 


A   NEW  ERA   AT  RAVENHORST  215 

Count  Armin  tossed  his  whip,  gloves,  and  cigar-case 
upon  the  table  and  came  up  to  her,  then  stooped  and 
looked  into  her  pale  face,  asking,  anxiously,  "  Are  you 
ill  ?" 

"  No,"  she  said,  avoiding  his  hand ;  "  but  I  am  vexed, 
dissatisfied  with  myself.  I  have  done  you  wrong,  and 
I  must  tell  you  so,     I  could  not  know  that " 

"  But  what, — what  wrong  have  you  done  me  ?" 

With  a  gesture  she  pointed  to  his  writing-table ;  he 
looked  at  her  inquiringly. 

"  You  were  reading,  Armin,  and  were  perhaps  think- 
ing of  it  when  you  saw  the  old  woman.  You  did  right ; 
and  besides,  you  read " 

He  closed  the  book  hastily  and  locked  it  in  a  drawer. 
*'  Well,  yes,"  he  said,  with  some  embarrassment,  "  I 
once  made  a  promise  to  do  so ;  but,  for  heaven's  sake, 
don't  take  me  for  a  saint  I" 

"  But  you  said  you  believed  in  nothing." 

"  Did  I  say  that  ?  Oh,  no,  my  love,  you  said  that. 
I  only  took  the  liberty  of  adding  to  your  remark  that 
at  all  events  my  views  annoyed  no  one.  No,  Marie,  I 
am  far  from  being  clever  enough  to  take  up  with  a 
philosophy  invented  by  a  Voltaire.  I  never  could 
understand  why  people  were  not  glad  to  have  their 
catechism  spare  them  a  deal  of  fatiguing  investiga- 
tion." 

A  pause  ensued.  Marie  Louise  sighed.  She  felt 
ashamed,  and  the  sensation  was  insufferable. 

"  Then  you  forgive  me  my  injustice,"  she  said,  offer- 
ing him  her  hand.     "  I  will  be  careful  in  future." 

"  Ah,  don't  I  I  am  so  fond  of  forgiving,"  he  said, 
kissing  her  on  her  forehead.  She  endured  it  in  silence, 
as  one  submits  to  a  deserved  chastisement, — which  was 
hardly  encouraging. 

21* 


246  VIOLETTA 

"Who  was  the  Stefanie  who  gave  you  the  Testa- 
ment ?"  she  asked,  after  a  pause. 

"  A  young  girl  who  grew  up  with  me.  She  was  al- 
most always  an  invalid.  You  cannot  imagine  a  more 
gentle  spirit ;  and  then  her  constant  touching  anxiety 
for  the  welfare  of  my  soul !  I  promised  her  to  fulfil 
her  last  request,  and  I  have  tried  to  keep  my  promise, 
for  I  should  be  sorry  to  disturb  her  rest  in  the  grave. 
Poor  little  angel !  She  had  the  most  beautiful  eyes ; 
otherwise  she  was  not  pretty,  although  attractive.  Her 
face  was  thin  and  pale,  and  that  set  at  rest  my  good 
Bhort-sighted  mother's  fears.  As  if  one  could  love  a 
beautiful  face  if  the  soul  informing  it  were  not  lovable  !" 

He  looked  at  her  musingly  while  he  was  speaking, 
and  he  came  very  near  adding,  "  Yes,  it  is  soul  for 
which  I  am  searching  in  you !  You  have  mind,  and 
conscience  which  leads  you  aright,  and  beauty  in 
abundance,  but  the  soul  that  should  look  out  at  us, 
warm,  vital,  eloquent,  from  those  starry  eyes,  like  the 
glow  of  an  inward  flame, — is  that  there?" 

He  might  have  said  something  like  this,  but  the 
servant  came  to  tell  him  that  his  horse  was  waiting 
before  the  door. 

Count  Armin  returned  from  his  ride  at  supper-time, 
and  when  asked  where  he  had  been,  replied,  with  the 
easiest  and  most  cheerful  air  possible,  "  Everywhere  I" 

For  many  ensuing  days  Marie  Louise  scarcely  saw 
him.  She  had  an  abundance  of  time  to  write  her  let- 
ters. She  frequently  heard  him  go  to  his  study,  but 
he  never  came  to  her,  for  he  was  always  in  a  hurry. 
Now  he  was  out  in  the  meadows  with  the  labourers, 
now  in  the  forest,  now  on  the  farm,  and  now  in  the 
sheepfold,  always  accompanied  by  the  inspector.  He 
seemed  to  think  this  all  a  matter  of  course.     He  had 


A  NEW  ERA   AT  RAVENHORST  247 

very  little  to  do  with  books.  He  preferred  to  go  in 
the  evenings  and  make  inquiries  of  Herr  von  Plat- 
tow,  and  the  half-blind  old  man  fairly  grew  young 
again.  He  had  the  opportunity  of  imparting  the  val- 
uable results  of  his  life-long  experience  to  a  younger 
man,  to  give  him  counsel,  and  to  tell  him  of  what  he 
had  passed  through.  The  chessmen  rested  quietly  in 
their  box.  The  two  men  often  sat  talking  together 
far  into  the  night,  and  the  old  Frau  blessed  Marie 
Louise's  choice.  As  for  the  young  Countess,  she  had 
a  hard  battle  to  fight  with  her  pride.  She  was  so  ac- 
customed to  rule  here,  that  it  offended  her  to  be  so  com- 
pletely ignored  at  these  consultations.  She  sometimes 
heard,  with  amazement,  of  buildings  to  be  erected  and 
improvements  to  be  made,  but  no  one  asked  her  permis- 
sion. And  then,  to  be  sure,  it  occurred  to  her  that  Count 
Hess's  proposal  had  been  accepted  upon  condition  that 
he  should  undertake  the  management  of  the  estate. 

She  still  kept  the  books  and  received  the  inspector 
daily,  but  some  day  the  Count  would  probably  come 
and,  in  his  nonchalant  way,  relieve  her  of  this  duty 
also.  ' 

He  did  come  into  her  drawing-room  one  day,  warm 
with  walking  and  very  dusty.  He  had  with  him  a 
roll  of  paper,  which  he  unrolled  upon  the  table,  and, 
after  fastening  it  down  at  the  coi-ners,  said,  "  Will  3'ou 
please  to  look  here  a  moment  ?" 

She  came  and  leaned  over  the  paper,  across  which 
he  had  drawn  a  lino  in  red  ink.  "  Why  is  there  no 
straight  road  from  the  rye  meadow  to  the  farm  ?"  he 
asked,  looking  up  at  her. 

Marie  Louise  tried  in  vain  to  conceal  the  astonish- 
ment caused  her  by  this  simple  question.  She  looked 
at  him  and  made  no  reply. 


248  VIOLETTA 

"For  you  see,  my  love,  thanks  to  the  inventive 
faculty  of  your  forbears,  the  only  road  by  which  the 
harvest  can  be  gathered  in  passes  directly  over  the 
only  mountain  on  the  estate.  And  in  order  to  accom- 
plish this  the  wagons  must  turn  aside  by  a  round- 
about way  half  a  mile  long." 

"  We  are  perfectly  awai-e  of  this  inconvenience,  but 
the  bog  there " 

"  But  why  not  come  in  a  straight  line  through  the 
rye  meadow  ?" 

"  Of  course.  How  did  you  happen  to  think  of  it, 
Armin  ?" 

"  Is  that  surprising  ?  Did  you  suppose  me  a  candi- 
date for  the  idiot-asylum  ?  By  the  way,  Marie  Louise, 
I  was  at  your  school  to-day." 

"You?  What  did  you  want  there?"  she  asked, 
coldly. 

"  Excuse  me.  After  all,  I  am  your  husband.  At  any 
rate,  what  I  found  was  that  all  those  children  have  a 
hang-dog  look.  I  seemed  to  be  in  the  work-room  of  a 
flock  of  miniature  criminals.  Military  discipline  must 
not  degenerate  into  dead  mechanism.  Can  they  not 
look  as  happy  and  merry  as  the  children  do  at  Yel- 
zin?" 

Marie  Louise  was  absolutely  confused.  This  attack 
was  so  astounding  that  at  first  all  she  could  find  to 
say  was,  "  Have  you  been  in  Velzin  ?" 

"  Yes ;  I  rode  over  there  the  day  before  yesterday  to 
see  a  setter  that  the  farmer  wants  to  sell,  and  I  took 
occasion  to  visit  the  empty  manor-house  and  the  little 
colony  in  the  park." 

"  I  founded  that  school  I"  the  young  Countess  said, 
hastily. 

"It  must  have  been  long  ago.     It  is  under  the 


A   NEW  ERA   AT  RAVENH0RS7  249 

supervision  of  the  pastor's  wife,  a  Frau  Ehrhardt, — an 
excellent  woman,  it  seemed  to  me." 

She  was  mute  with  indignation.  He  ventured  to 
find  fault  with  her  arrangements,  to  doubt  their  per- 
fection! Certainly  a  remai'kable  man.  He  dared 
what  no  one  else  dared.  What  if  he  should  under- 
take to  rule  her  ?  She  looked  at  him  with  a  frown  as 
he  pored  anew  over  the  plan  on  the  table.  At  last  he 
looked  up  and  sighed :  "  I  do  not  believe,  however,  that 
my  plan  could  be  carried  out  without  more  knowledge 
than  I  possess.  I  can  see  that.  What  do  you  say  to 
m}^  taking  an  agricultural  course  at  a  university?" 

"  It  would  be  an  excellent  plan,"  she  assented. 

"Afterwards,"  he  went  on,  reflectively,  "I  could 
take  the  matter  in  hand.  Hm !  I  must  consult  with 
the  old  Herr."     And  he  arose  and  left  the  room. 

"He  has  aspirations,  it  is  not  to  be  denied,"  his  just 
wife  said  to  herself.  "  But  I  must  be  upon  my  guard; 
he  would  fain  be  an  autocrat,  and  he  has  a  skilful  way 
of  taking  an  adversary  by  surprise." 

The  very  next  day  there  was  another  surprise  in 
the  shape  of  a  fine  brown-and- white  setter,  which  ran 
up-stairs  beside  the  Count  just  as  the  young  Countess 
was  going  down.    "  Is  that  your  new  dog  ?"  she  asked. 

"Yes." 

"  You  »re  not  bringing  him  into  our  rooms  ?" 

"Yes,  I  am.  He  is  going  to  my  study,  where,  in 
future,  he  will  lie  under  my  writing-table." 

"I  cannot  allow  that.  I  cannot  have  a  dog  in  my 
rooms." 

"  Then  he  shall  not  go  into  your  rooms,"  he  rejoined, 
composedly,  and  opened  the  glass  door.  "And  he 
cannot  annoy  you  in  mine,  for  you  never  enter  them." 

And  thus  the  matter  was  quietly  disposed  of  and 


250  VIOLETTA 

her  commands  ignored,  as  if  they  had  been  the  result 
of  mere  girlish  caprice. 

She  now  frequently  expressed  her  opinion  that  it 
would  certainly  be  an  advantage  for  him  to  attend 
Boon  the  university  course  of  which  he  had  spoken. 

"  Yes,  dearest,"  he  rejoined  on  one  occasion,  seating 
himself  at  her  writing-table,  "  I  must  go,  but  not  until 
the  beginning  of  the  winter.  However,  you  will  soon 
be  rid  of  me  for  a  week,  for  I  am  going  to  ride  to 
Velzin  to  examine  there  the  construction  and  working 
of  a  steam  threshing-machine  that  the  farmer  has  in 
operation." 

"  When  do  you  mean  to  go  ?" 

"  iJ^ext  Monday." 

"  That  is  the  day  of  the  conference  in  Berlin,  which 
I  wish  to  attend." 

"  What  conference  ?" 

"  To  discuss  the  establishment  of  an  asylum  for  the 
homeless  poor ;  the  Consistorial-rath  A and  Pas- 
tor E have  both  sought  my  h " 

"  Hand  ?"  her  incorrigible  husband  asked,  with  lifted 
brows. 

"  M}^  help,"  she  said,  i-esignedly.  "  They  wish  to 
make  me  president  of  this  institution." 

"  The  first  step  towards  a  reputation  that  culminateh 
in  an  encyclopa3dia.  It  will  read  \qyj  well, — '  Marie 
Louise  von  Plattow,  by  marriage  Countess  Hess,  a 
famous  philanthropist,  distinguished  for  founding  nu- 
merous orphan-asylums." 

"Why  cast  ridicule  upon  a  good  cause?"  she  asked, 
coldly ;  "  it  requires  no  great  capacity  to  do  so." 

"  Because  I  should  like  to  warn  you  not  to  confound 
ambition  and  vanity  with  Christian  charity," 

She  made  no  replj'.     He  was  not  worth  it. 


A   NEW  ERA   AT  RAVENHORST  251 

"  For  you  will  not  be  contented  to  go  one«  a  year  to 
a  '  conference'  in  Berlin,  but " 

"  Probably  not,"  she  interrupted  him.  "  I  should 
like  to  rent  a  house  in  Berlin  for  the  future,  that  I 
may  not  trespass  upon  the  hospitality  of  the  Bellwitzes 
every  time  that  I  go  there." 

"  Well,  we  will  take  the  matter  into  consideration, 
my  angel,"  he  said,  very  amiably ;  "  but  now  we  had 
better  go  down  to  the  old  people." 

"First,  I  should  like  to  know  whether  or  not  you 
are  going  to  Velzin  on  Monday  ?" 

"Oh,  yes;  that  arrangement  cannot  be  altered." 

"  Then  please  let  me  come  to  my  writing-table ;  I 
must  inform  the  Consistorial-rath  that  the  conference 
must  be  postponed." 

"  Have  3'ou  such  influence  already  ?  My  child,  my 
child,  be  warned.  Character,  personal  presence,  and 
wealth  all  combine  to  fit  you  to  play  the  part  of  a 
queen  among  those  people, — very  pleasant  and  sat- 
isfactory. But  go  with  me  instead  to  Velzin,  and 
learn  from  Frau  Ehrhardt  the  magic  word  by  which 
she  makes  a  crowd  of  children  happy." 

"  Perhaps  you  can  tell  me  this  word,"  she  said, 
rather  haughtily. 

" Oh,  yes, — it  is  charity" 

"  Do  you  think  my  schools  were  founded  upon 
hatred  f"  she  asked. 

"  No ;  upon  principle." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders  and  left  him. 

Marie  Louise  felt  greatly  relieved  when  she  reflected 
that  she  should  be  rid  of  '  this  man'  for  a  week.  Ho 
had  come  to  be  irritating  to  her  beyond  measure.  On 
Monday  he  got  into  his  little  hunting-cart  in  the  best 
of  humours,  with  his  dog  beside  him,  and  waved  his 


252  VIOLETTA 

hand  to  the  young  Countess  as  he  drove  off,  calling 
out  to  her,  "  A  week  from  to-day,  Molly,  you  can  come 
for  me." 

She  looked  after  him  angrily.  Then  she  went  up 
to  her  apartments,  and  drew  a  long,  long  breath. 

It  was  perfectly  quiet  up  here.  No  whistling  in  the 
corridor,  no  jingling  of  spurs  on  the  stairs,  no  dog's 
paw  scratching  at  the  doors,  and  more  than  all,  no 
danger  of  being  interrupted  in  her  work.  She  said  to 
herself  that  it  would  be  delightful ;  but  still  it  seemed 
strange  and  unusual.  She  sat  and  embroidered,  or 
read,  or  wrote,  and  all  the  while  she  was  listening  to 
hear  if  somebody  were  not  coming.  But  no  one 
came.  Who  of  the  household  would  venture  to  dis- 
tvirb  the  young  Countess  without  urgent  cause  ?  Even 
Frau  von  Plattow  knew  that  Marie  Louise  liked  best 
to  be  alone. 

At  last  the  silence  grew  oppressive.  She  seemed  to 
have  forgotten  something  down-stairs.  She  took  her 
writing-materials  and  went  down  into  the  garden- 
hall.  But  it  was  already  quite  cool  here:  the  wind 
was  whirling  the  yellow  leaves  about.  She  shivered, 
put  her  paper  and  pen  away,  and  went  into  the  lower 
drawing-room,  where  her  grandmother  was  sorting 
wools  for  stockings  for  the  poor.  "  What  is  it,  dear 
child?"  she  asked,  kindly. 

Marie  Louise  looked  confused.  She  did  not  know 
what  to  say.  "  I  thought  I  had  forgotten  something 
I  am  looking  for." 

"  You  might  read  the  newspaper  to  your  grand- 
father if  you  have  time." 

She  was  quite  willing,  and  she  read  aloud  to  the  old 
Herr  for  an  hour.  At  last  she  had  finished,  and  with 
a  certain  expectant  impatience  she  hurried  up-staira 


TEE  COUNT   WINS  253 

as  if  to  find  there  what  she  was  searching  for,  and 
walked  through  the  empty  rooms  until  she  stood  in 
Count  Armin's  study.  Here  she  paused,  looked  round, 
and  suddenly  blushed.  The  nameless  something  that 
she  was  looking  for  was — her  husband. 

She  missed  him.  Whatever  he  might  choose  to  be, 
now  she  was  accustomed  to  him,  and  her  life  was  in- 
complete without  him. 

A  prey  to  positive  terror,  Marie  Louise  sat  down  in 
the  arm-chair  and  covered  her  face  with  her  hands. 
This  would  be  despicable.  But  it  was  not  true,  not  a 
word  of  it !  She  had  suffered  humiliation  enough  at 
his  hands,  but  this  triumph  should  never  be  his.  It 
would,  indeed,  be  a  fine  affair  for  a  Marie  Louise  to 
miss  '  this  man,'  or  his  boyish  gayety. 


CHAPTEE    XXIII 

THE   COUNT   WINS 

Four  days  had  passed.  This  week  seemed  endless. 
The  old  Plattows  observed  this  with  many  sighs,  and 
Marie  Louise  thought  it,  but  would  not  for  worlds 
have  uttered  her  thought.  She  was  ashamed,  but 
she  could  not  prevent  the  time  in  her  room  from  pass- 
ing more  slowly  than  it  had  ever  passed  before.  If  she 
took  a  book  and  tried  to  read,  her  mind  wandered. 
She  struggled  against  this  with  all  the  energy  of  her 
proud  heart,  but  in  vain. 

One  evening,  as  she  passed  through  the  lower  hall, 
she  noticed  Frau  Doris  with  some  of  the  servants  col- 
lected in  a  group  and  whispering  together.    She  asked 

22 


254  VIOLETTA 

what  was  the  matter,  and  one  of  the  sei-vants  with 
some  hesitation  replied  that  a  carter  had  said  that 
*  some  one  in  Yelzin  had  met  with  an  accident  in  the 
steam-thresher.' 

"  A  labourer !"  Frau  Doris  interrupted  the  speaker 
hastily,  with  a  glance  of  reproval. 

Marie  Louise  mounted  the  staircase  as  erect  and 
dignified  as  ever.  But  in  her  own  room  she  grew 
restless.  "  Why  had  old  Doris  glanced  in  that  way  at 
the  man  ?  Suppose  it  were  not  a  labourer.  What  if 
it  were  an  inspector,  or  a " 

Still,  she  was  far  too  proud  to  betray  her  anxiety  by 
a  second  question.  She  allowed  Doris  to  undress  her 
without  a  word,  though  hoping  that  the  old  woman 
would  speak  of  the  accident  again.  But  Doris  said 
nothing.  Consequently  the  young  Countess  did  not 
close  her  eyes  that  night.  Her  imagination  was  not 
usually  very  lively,  but  all  night  long  she  was  beset 
by  images  of  terror,  people  with  maimed,  bleeding 
limbs,  and  dying  eyes  turned  reproachfully  upon  her. 

The  next  morning  she  felt  wretchedly  weak, — nat- 
urally, with  so  little  sleep.  She  determined  to  eat  a 
hearty  breakfast  and  to  drink  a  glass  of  Madeira. 
She  rang  for  the  servant,  but  when  he  came,  instead 
of  ordering  breakfast,  she  asked,  "  Has  anything  fur- 
ther been  heard  about  the  accident  at  Yelzin  ?" 

"  Nothing,  my  lady." 

"  Very  well ;  you  can  go." 

This  day  threatened  to  stretch  out  to  twice  its 
actual  length.  In  the  afternoon,  seated  at  her  writing- 
table,  she  came  to  a  sudden  determination.  She  would 
write  a  few  words  to  him  and  ask  him  for  news.  But 
the  'few  words.'  There  was  the  difficulty.  An  ir- 
resistible force  guided  her  hand  to  write  upon  the 


THE   COUNT   WINS  255 

paper  before  her,  'My  dear  Armin.'  She  laid  the 
sheet  aside  and  began  upon  another,  '  I  am  anxious, 
dearest  Armin,' — no,  that  would  not  do.  But  heavens ! 
there  was  paper  enough.  Why  not  write  on  another 
sheet,  just  to  see  how  it  looked  ?  '  My  dearest  love !' 
She  was  a  little  nervous.  This  was  nothing  more  than 
trying  a  pen. 

At  that  moment  the  door  was  flung  open,  and  Count 
Hess,  in  vigorous  health,  entered. 

Marie  Louise  started  up,  pale  with  fright,  and  gazed 
at  him.  Her  first  impulse  was  to  conceal  the  treach- 
erous sheets  of  paper.  She  gathered  them  all  to- 
gether and  thrust  them  into  a  drawer;  then  stood 
like  a  criminal  caught  in  the  act. 

He  stared,  amazed,  and  suddenly  his  face  grew 
dark.  "  An  extraordinary  reception,"  he  said,  slowly. 
"  And  a  Marie  Louise  cannot  look  me  in  the  eyes.  I 
jseem  to  have  taken  you  by  surprise." 

She  did  not  speak,  but  turned  away. 

"Without  another  word  he  went  to  the  table,  and, 
opening  the  drawer,  took  out  the  sheets.  She  shyly 
watched  him,  and  noticed  that  his  hand  trembled. 

For  a  while  he  examined  the  papers  one  after  the 
other,  seeming  not  to  comprehend.  Suddenly  he 
dropped  them  all ;  a  flush  mounted  to  his  forehead.  He 
came  to  her,  took  her  head  between  his  hands,  gazed 
long  into  her  eyes,  where  pride  and  love  strove  for 
the  mastery,  and  asked,  in  a  tone  of  gentle  reproach, 
"  What  ?  So  proud  ?  As  if  it  were  a  crime  to  write 
those  words !     Marie  Louise,  have  you  missed  me  ?" 

She  could  make  no  reply,  but  her  cheek  flushed 
crimson,  and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

"  She  is  sorry  for  it, — sorry  to  have  wasted  so  much 
feeling  upon  one  so  unworthy.     Confess  it.     Do  you 


256  VIOLETTA 

not  bee  that  I  want  to  forgive  again?"  And  he 
clasped  her  in  his  arras  and  kissed  away  her  tears. 

•'  It  was  only,"  she  murmured,  as  if  by  w^ay  of  ex- 
cuse, "  that  a  report  frightened  me.  We  heard  that 
some  one  in  Yelzin  had  been  injured  by  the  engine, 
and  I  thought  it  might  be  you ;  and  of  course  it  was 

natural  that  I "     She  blushed  again,  and  extricated 

herself  from  his  embrace.  Steps  were  heard  in  the  cor- 
ridor, and  Frau  von  Plattow  entered  with  open  arms. 
"  He  has  come  back !  What  a  surprise !"  she  ex- 
claimed, and  nothing  would  do  but  that  he  must 
explain  and  narrate,  and  finally  come  down-stairs. 
There  the  tea-table  stood  ready,  and  the  old  people 
were  full  of  joy  at  having  their  vice-son  at  home 
again.  They  had  missed  him  so.  The  house  had 
been  as  quiet  as  the  grave. 

"  I  can  easily  believe  it,"  he  said,  laughing.  "  No 
one  else  wears  such  creaking  boots." 

"  The  idea  of  his  going  to  the  university !  Non- 
sense !"  cried  the  old  lady. 

"  Nonsense  or  not,"  he  rejoined,  "  I  have  written  to 
make  arrangements.  Marie  Louise  wishes  it,  and  her 
wish  is  my  law." 

Marie  Louise  blushed  to  the  roots  of  her  hair ;  and 
the  more  terrible  it  was  to  her  to  do  this,  the  more 
provoked  she  was  with  '  this  man,'  whose  fault  it  was. 

Her  grandmother  sighed.  If  Marie  Louise  desired 
anything  there  was  nothing  to  be  said,  for  she  always 
desired  what  was  most  sensible.  But  to  her  surprise 
the  young  Countess  observed,  "  Perhaps,  after  all,  it  is 
not  necessary,  you  have  made  such  rapid  progress  in 
your  new  vocation."  Count  Hess  bowed  to  the  ground. 
"  You  could  perhaps  learn  from  books, — could  study  by 
yourself " 


THE  COUNT   WINS  257 

"  Ah,  you  ought  to  have  said  that  before ;  now  it  is 
too  late." 

She  was  silent,  and  went  for  the  chess-board.  Count 
Hess  declared  himself  quite  ready  for  a  game  if  Marie 
Louise  would  help  him ;  he  had  really  forgotten  the 
moves. 

"That  can  hardly  be,"  she  replied,  almost  as  coldly 
as  usual.     "  I  must  go  up-stairs  for  some  worsted." 

"  And  I  must  go  up  for  a  handkerchief.  Let  us  go 
together." 

She  said  nothing,  and  left  the  room.  He  caught  up 
with  her  upon  the  stairs,  directly  beneath  the  large 
hanging-lamp,  looked  into  her  eyes,  and  again  saw 
tears  in  them. 

"  Armin." 

"  Well  ?" 

"  Is — is  it  really  settled  about  the  university  ?  To 
be  alone  the  whole  winter  long.  My  grandparents 
depend  so  upon  you." 

"  After  all,  you  are  right.  I  will  give  up  going,  out 
of  consideration  for  your  grandmother !" 

In  the  hall  below  a  shadow  glided  past.  It  was 
Pauline,  the  maid,  who  slipped  straightway  into 
Frau  Doris's  room,  and  whispered,  eagerly,  "  Good 
gracious,  Frau  Doris,  what  do  you  think  I  saw  just 
now  ?  The  Herr  Count  kissing  Madame  1  on  the 
stairs,  too !  and  not  once,  but  six  times  at  least !  I 
felt  quite  ashamed !" 

"  Hold  your  silly  tongue,"  was  all  that  Doris  had  to 
say  in  reply. 

Meanwhile,  Herr  von  Plattow  was  thinking  that  it 
took  a  long  time  to  find  a  handkerchief  and  some 
worsted,  when  Count  Armin  and  his  wife  appeared 
without  either. 

r  22* 


258  VIOLETTA 

The  game  of  chess  took  place,  however,  and  the  old 
Herr  won  a  brilliant  victory. 

Frau  von  Plattow  smiled  as  she  watched  her  grand- 
daughter. Marie  Louise's  restlessness  and  pallor  dur- 
ing her  husband's  absence  had  not  escaped  her,  and 
of  course  she  now  noticed  her  sudden  blushes,  her 
confused  smile.  The  old  lady  exulted.  Everything 
seemed  to  be  turning  out  happily ;  she  loved  him  at 
last,  and  peace  and  harmony  would  reign  in  future. 

But  so  hard  a  diamond  is  not  easil^^  cut.  For  her 
husband's  sake  Marie  Louise  will  yield  in  trifles,  sub- 
mit to  annoyances ;  she  will  confide  to  him  her 
thoughts,  their  life  shall  be  lived  in  common,  and  peace 
shall  reign,  so  far  as  peace  is  possible.  But  surely  no 
one  ought  to  require  that  she  should  model  her  views 
upon  his,  or  sacrifice  her  principles  to  him.  And  the 
dearer  he  becomes  to  her,  the  more  on  the  watch  must 
she  be  to  keep  her  conscience  clear  of  the  blame  of 
being  false  to  her  most  sacred  convictions  for  the  sake 
of  mere  human  afi'ection. 

He  cares  nothing  for  such  things  ;  they  annoy  him, 
and  therefore  he  tries  to  estrange  her  from  her  mis- 
sionary-work and  her  philanthropic  schemes.  What 
'f  every  one  should  become  convinced  that  work  in 
Christian  Associations  was  a  source  of  vain  ambition  ? 
Thus  contests  again  arose,  but  with  this  difi^erence, — 
she  no  longer  talked  with  icy  indifi^erence  and  a  con- 
temptuous shrug,  but  with  warmth,  eagerly.  She 
longed  to  win  him  over  to  her  views.  When  he  shared 
them  he  could  really  be  her  best  and  dearest  friend, 
the  helpmeet  of  whom,  unfortunately,  the  Bible  makes 
no  mention. 

Some  weeks  had  passed,  and  Marie  Louise  had 
learned  several  thinjrs  of  which  she  had  been  ignorant 


THE   COUNT    WINS  259 

before,  and  which,  indeed,  she  still  regarded  as  weak- 
nesses, although  they  became  her  well ;  how  to  smile, 
for  example,  and  how  to  blush,  and  the  art  of  bestow- 
ing '  a  gracious  kiss.'  And  in  this  last  accomplishment, 
by  the  way,  her  grandmother  had  not  been  her  pre- 
ceptor. 

One  day,  while  the  family  were  at  dinner,  the  ser- 
vant announced  that  a  troupe  of  strolling  players  had 
arrived  at  the  inn,  and  would  like  to  give  a  repre- 
sentation that  evening  at  Ravenhorst  itself,  if  the 
gentlefolk  would  allow  it. 

"  JSTo  !"  said  Marie  Louise,  peremptorily. 

Count  Hess  turned  to  the  old  Herr.  "  What  answer 
will  you  send  these  people?"  he  asked,  just  as  if 
Marie  Louise  had  not  spoken.  She  bit  her  lip.  Herr 
von  Plattow  said  he  did  not  wish  to  have  any  repre- 
sentation in  the  castle. 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  said  Count  Armin  ;  "  but,  that 
the  people  may  not  be  disaj^pointed  entirely,  I  will 
bestow  the  splendour  of  my  presence  upon  their  per- 
formance at  the  inn." 

"  Why  should  you  do  that  ?"  his  wife  asked  ;  "  this 
rabble  has  been  going  about  the  country  for  some  days 
now,  and  such  strolling  players  are  always  thievish." 

"  Very  possibly,  my  darling.  We  all  have  our 
faults." 

"Well,  I  must  say!"  Marie  Louise  exclaimed,  in- 
dignantly. 

This  incident  was  quite  forgotten,  when,  on  a  cold 
November  morning.  Count  Hess  looked  into  his  wife's 
room  to  say,  "  Please  come  down,  dear  heart.  The 
men  have  just  brought  a  poor  woman  into  the  castle 
whom  they  found  in  the  horse-pond,  and  I  do  not  know 
whether  she  is  alive  or  dead." 


260  VIOLETTA 

The  young  Countess  hurried  down  instantly.  The 
lower  hall  was  filled  with  people  talking  in  low  tones, 
their  voices  drowned  by  the  loud  crying  of  a  child. 
All  made  way  for  the  3"oung  mistress,  and  Marie 
Louise  saw  on  the  floor  a  litter,  whereon  lay  the  un- 
conscious form  of  a  woman  with  dripping  hair  and 
drenched  garments.  A  little  boy  about  eight  years 
old  sat  on  the  floor  beside  her,  crying  bitterly. 

Every  circumstance  of  the  discovery  was  related. 
No  one  knew  the  woman.  The  boy  had  come  running 
to  some  men  at  work  in  a  barn,  and  had  called  out  to 
them  that  his  mamma  had  fallen  into  the  water. 

"  The  case  must  be  advertised  if  she  does  not  recover 
consciousness,"  said  the  Count. 

Meanwhile,  the  woman  was  carried  to  the  kitchen, 
where  every  means  were  employed  for  her  recovery, 
but  in  vain.  After  two  hours  of  fruitless  effort  it  was 
given  up,  and  then  the  question  arose.  Who  was  she? 

"  A  stray  member  of  that  company  of  players,"  said 
the  Countess,  calmly ;  "  her  appearance  and  her  dress 
all  suggest  it.  Perhaps  she  had  stayed  behind  and 
was  hurrying  after  the  others." 

The  poor  creature  was  young,  with  black  hair  and 
thin  features.  Her  hands  were  soft  and  delicate ;  she 
was  evidently  unused  to  hard  work.  Her  gown,  when 
it  was  dried,  proved  to  be  shabby  and  worn.  Her  linen 
was  fine,  but  the  name  marked  upon  it  had  been  cut 
out  everywhere.  Her  shoes  and  stockings  were  woi'n 
out,  and  her  feet  were  blistered.  In  her  pocket  was 
a  handkerchief  tied  up  containing  a  few  trinkets, 
most  of  them  of  little  value,  because  the  jewels  that 
belonged  to  them  had  been  picked  out  of  the  setting 
and  were  gone,  but  upon  further  search  these  stones 
were   found  wrapped  in  a  paper  in  another  pocket. 


THE   COUNT   WINS  261 

There  was  nothing  about  her  that  could  give  any  clue 
to  her  identity. 

All  this  while  the  boy  sat  on  a  bench  by  the  store 
and  cried,  cried  until  he  fairly  fell  over  from  weariness. 
He  made  no  answer  when  questioned  ;  he  seemed  to 
be  utterly  confused.  His  shoes  were  in  holes,  and  his 
feet  were  bleeding;  but  his  dress  showed  a  certain 
degree  of  elegance.  His  velvet  jacket,  which  exposure 
to  the  weather  had  turned  of  a  greenish  hue,  had 
once  been  black.  He  was  frightfully  dirty ;  but  when 
Frau  Doris  had  given  him  a  warm  bath  and  combed 
his  tangled  curls  and  put  him  to  bed.  Count  Armin 
came  to  look  at  him,  and  was  surprised.  "  What  a 
splendid  boy  I"  he  said. 

"He  looks  like  a  Jewish  child,"  said  the  Countess, 
bending  over  the  little  sleeper.  "  Well,  to-morrow  we 
shall  learn  something  about  him.  The  affair  must  be 
investigated.  These  trinkets  are  a  mournful  confirma- 
tion of  my  assertion  that  all  these  players  are  thievish." 

The  next  morning,  as  the  Count  and  Countess  were 
breakfasting  quite  early  in  their  apartments,  the  door 
opened,  and  Doris  appeared,  leading  the  boy  by  the 
hand.  Frau  von  Plattow,  who  always  had  a  plentiful 
supply  of  clothes  for  the  poor,  had  provided  him  with 
a  brown  linen  suit.  Doris  had  tied  a  red  ribbon 
around  his  neck  under  his  white  collar;  he  looked 
very  bright,  and  not  at  all  shy.  He  seemed  used  to 
be  among  many  people.  There  was  something  unusu- 
ally alert  and  intelligent  in  his  look.  He  ran  about 
the  room,  attracted  by  everything  that  was  pretty  in 
it,  but  delighting  especially  in  the  large  bright  win- 
dows.   "  Oh,"  he  exclaimed,  "  j^ou  can  get  out  of  those !" 

"Out  of  the  windows?  You  would  come  to  grief, 
my  boy." 


262  VIOLETTA 

"But  there  are  no  iron  bars,"  he  said.  "Oh,  how 
pretty  they  are !" 

"  Had  you  iron  bars  before  your  windows  ?"  asked 
the  Count. 

"  Oh,  such  thick  ones !     Mamma  cried  all  the  time." 

"  That  must  have  been  an  uncomfortable  house," 
the  Count  said,  exchanging  glances  with  his  wife. 
At  these  words  the  child  became  confused,  looked 
timidly  around,  and  blushed  scarlet. 

Marie  Louise  tried  to  entice  him  to  the  table  to  give 
him  some  breakfast,  but  he  seemed  suddenly  to  be 
worried,  climbed  up  into  the  window-seat,  and,  press- 
ing his  face  against  the  window-panes,  looked  down 
upon  the  terrace.  After  a  little  he  said,  "  The  gentle- 
men and  ladies  are  all  gone."  Then  he  seemed  to 
reflect  again,  and  was  silent. 

"  Come  here,  my  boy  ;  you  must  be  hungry,"  said 
the  Count.     "  Come  and  have  something  to  eat." 

The  lad  looked  distrustful,  but  approached  the  table 
elowly,  with  a  hungry  glance  at  the  basket  of  biscuit, 
and  ended  by  quietly  eating  his  breakfast,  only  in- 
terrupting it  once  to  say,  "  Will  mamma  stay  away 
long  r 

"  Yery  long,  my  poor  fellow." 

His  eyes  filled  with  tears.  "  When  did  she  go 
away?  I  dreamed  last  night  that  she  was  lying  in 
the  water,  and  I  was  cold  and  hungry.  Have  they 
shut  her  up  again  ?" 

"  No,  no ;  she  is  free  now,  and  you  must  be  good 
and  obedient." 

The  boy  glanced  quickly  from  one  to  the  other. 
"  Come  here,"  said  Count  Hess,  taking  him  on  his 
knee.  "  There  will  be  some  gentlemen  here  who  will 
ask  you  questions,  and  you  must  answer  them  bravely." 


THE   COUNT    WINS  263 

"  What  will  they  ask  ?"  the  child  said,  and  his  look 
grew  strangely  suspicious. 

"First,  what  is  your  name?" 

Count  Hess  felt  the  little  hand  struggle  to  release 
itself  from  his  firm  grasp.  After  a  long  delay  and 
much  reflection,  the  boy  said  at  last,  "  Hugo." 

"  That's  right,  Hugo.     What's  your  other  name?" 

The  merry  childish  face  seemed  all  at  once  to  grow 
old  and  hard.  He  compressed  his  lips.  "  I  don't 
know."  And  this  '  don't  know'  was  all  that  he  would 
say.  He  had  no  other  answer  for  every  question  put 
to  him.  The  more  persistently  he  was  interrogated, 
the  more  obstinately  he  refused  to  say  anything  save 
'  I  don't  know.' 

The  next  day  Count  Hess  took  him  to  town  to  the 
police-office,  where  notices  of  what  had  happened  had 
been  posted.  Here  the  boy  refused  to  sj^eak  at  all. 
He  closed  his  lips,  and  stared  vacantly  before  him. 
When  his  mother's  clothes  were  shown  him  he  looked 
amazed,  and  gazed  anxiousl}'  around.  When  he  was 
shown  one  of  the  trinkets,  and  was  asked  if  it  were 
his  mother's,  he  glanced  at  it  with  dull  indifference  and 
was  silent.  It  was  impossible  to  tell  whether  he  were 
weak-witted  or  cunning.  He  was  threatened  with 
punishment, — he  was  silent.  They  promised  him  toys, 
— he  was  silent.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  The  simplest 
way  was  to  discover  the  present  sojourn  of  the  stroll- 
ing players.  A  brooch  that  had  been  found  upon  the 
woman  was  marked  with  the  name  of  a  firm  of  jew- 
ellers in  Frankfort-on-thc-Main.  They  were  written 
to.  Count  Hess  carried  the  boy  back  to  Eavenhorst 
with  him,  and  on  the  way  thither  tried  to  explain  to 
him  that  his  mother  was  dead ;  but  either  the  child 
did   not  understand   him,  or  he  was  stupefied   from 


264  VIOLETTA 

the   police  examination.      He   seemed  quite  unintei- 
ested. 

"  Poor,  unfortunate  child  !"  said  Marie  Louise.  "  So 
young,  and  so  corrupt.  We  will  keep  him  here,  and 
I  will  prove  to  you,  Armin,  that  I  have  patience  and 
Christian  charity.  Of  course  great  care  will  be  neces- 
sary, but  if  we  wish  to  show  ourselves  in  earnest  with 
the  duties  we  undertake,  we  must  not  expect  that  they 
will  be  either  easy  or  agreeable." 

She  made  this  little  speech  in  a  somewhat  dictato- 
rial, defiant  tone.  She  had  not  forgotten  that  he  had 
once  held  up  to  her — to  her! — as  an  example,  Frau 
Ehrhardt. 

Count  Hess  laughed,  and  ciirsorily  observed  that  it 
depended  upon  the  old  people  whether  the  boy  stayed 
there  or  not.     Various  consultations  ensued. 

"  I  never  do  things  by  halves,"  said  Marie  Louise. 
"  This  child  needs  the  most  careful  training ;  some  one 
must  be  with  him  all  the  time.  In  an  institution  he 
would  be  ruined,  but  he  may  yet  be  saved.  If  those 
players  are  found,  and  it  should  be  shown  that  he  has 
no  father,  I  will  keep  him  here  and  bring  him  up  as 
my  son." 

"  I  will  keep  him  with  me  for  a  few  days,"  Count 
Hess  said,  calmlj",  "  and  then  tell  you  whether  you  may 
do  so  or  not."  And  he  patted  his  wife  caressingly  on 
the  shoulder.  She  blushed,  and  turned  away  with  an 
indignant  look. 

For  some  days  afterward  Count  Hess  had  the  child 
with  him  early  and  late.  They  came  to  be  great 
friends.  When  Hess  passed  the  boy's  door  in  the 
morning  the  little  fellow  came  running  to  meet  him, 
hat  in  hand,  his  eyes  sparkling.  He  would  run  down- 
stairs before  his  friend,  call  the  dog,  rush  with  him 


I 


THE   COUNT  WINS  205 

through  the  lower  hall,  and  bound  along  in  advance 
of  the  Count,  always  returning  to  his  side  from  time 
to  time  like  a  faithful  puppy. 

Sometimes  the  horse  stood  saddled  in  front  of  the 
door,  and  then  the  Count  would  lift  the  boy  to  the 
saddle  before  him  and  ride  off  to  the  farm.  There 
they  would  stay  until  dinner-time,  the  boy  plaj'ing  the 
while,  apparently  unobserved,  in  court-yard  and  barns. 
He  was  as  agile  as  a  squirrel ;  no  tree,  no  hay-loft  was 
too  high  for  him,  but  he  was  very  much  afraid  of 
cows  and  horses,  and  was  at  first  with  difficulty  per- 
suaded to  allow  himself  to  be  lifted  into  the  saddle. 
Once  there,  however,  he  chattered  merrily,  noticed 
everything,  and  asked  very  intelligent  questions.  Then 
he  was  a  child  like  other  children,  frank,  mischievous, 
true-hearted.  From  time  to  time  he  asked  after  his 
mother,  and  whether  she  would  soon  come  and  live 
too  in  this  beautiful  house.  If  money  were  given 
him  he  put  it  in  his  pocket,  and  Count  Hess  once 
heard  him  murmur  as  he  did  so,  '  For  mamma !'  He 
often  took  it  out,  counted  it,  weighed  it  in  his  hand, 
and  evidently  took  satisfaction  in  the  glitter  of  the 
bright  coins. 

"  Well,  dear  heart,"  Count  Hess  said  at  last,  "  I  give 
you  permission  to  keep  the  boy,  and,  if  you  choose,  to 
adopt  him.  If  he  is  a  gypsy  vagabond,  I  am  the  son 
of  a  bandit  chief" 

"  I  shall  not  be  led  astray  by  an  attractive  exterior," 
Marie  Louise  rejoined.  "  Believe  me,  I  know  the 
dark  side  of  life  better  than  you  do.  My  time  in  Ber- 
lin among  the  poor  and  wretched  M'^as  not  spent  in 
vain.  In  such  work  one  learns  much  that  is  distress- 
ing. A  city  missionary  told  me  of  youthful  criminals, 
convicted  of  theft,  who,  nevertheless,  when  they  were 
M  23 


'ZGG  VIOLETTA 

examined  looked  the  very  picture  of  innocence,  which 
they  counterfeited  so  as  to  deceive  gray-headed  magis- 
trates. He  told  me  of  a  lady  who,  in  appearance  be- 
longing to  the  upjDer  ranks  of  society,  used  to  walk 
the  streets  with  two  elegantly-dressed  little  boys. 
These  children  were  little  wretches  with  cherub  faces. 
They  always  ran  on  before,  and  used  now  and  then  to 
stop  those  whom  they  met  to  ask  if  they  had  seen 
their  ball.  The  beauty  and  grace  of  the  children 
made  many  a  lady  pause  to  caress  them,  and  ask, 
*  What  is  your  name  ?'  and  if  afterward  she  missed  her 
watch  or  her  pocket-handkerchief  she  never  connected 
the  loss  with  those  pretty  children.  Yes,  Armin, 
when  I  think  of  all  this  I  shudder  at  the  depravity  of 
man,  and  I  constantly  say  to  myself  that  it  is  wrong 
to  sit  idle  when  we  might  succour  and  save.  Admit 
that  I  am  right,  Armin,  in  believing  that  true  Chris- 
tianity does  not  consist  in  putting  away  from  us  this 
evil  element,  but  in  keeping  such  a  child  with  us,  just 
because  it  is  a  lost  soul  and  should  be  saved." 

"  Certainly,  my  darling ;  but  in  this  case  all  this 
effort  is  superfluous.  Have  some  confidence  in  your 
husband's  judgment.  I  do  not  know  who  or  what  the 
boy's  parents  were ;  he  is  a  strange  child,  I  admit ; 
but  depraved  he  is  not." 

She  made  no  reply,  but  looked  down  at  her  em- 
broidery. Count  Armin  sat  down  beside  her,  and  put 
his  arm  about  her  waist.  "  Don't  look  so  grave,"  he 
said,  kindly. 

She  looked  at  him  and  sighed:  "Armin,  I  am  try- 
ing my  best  to  do  what  is  right." 

"  I  am  sure  of  that,  but  to  err  is  human,  and  1 
should  like  to  keej)  you  from  harshness  and  injustice." 


TUE   COUNTESS  LOSES  2G7 


CHAPTEE     XXIY 


THE   COUNTESS   LOSES 


Two  weeks  passed,  and  all  the  advertisements  and 
investigations  on  the  part  of  the  police  had  produced 
no  result.  Even  the  company  of  players  had  not  been 
found.  They  were  thought  by  some  to  be  gone  to 
Hanover,  by  others  to  be  in  Poland.  Telegraphs  were 
sent  hither  and  thither,  but  all  to  no  purpose. 

Meanwhile,  there  appeared  every  likelihood  that 
little  Hugo  would  afford  the  young  Countess  an  oppor- 
tunity of  carrying  out  her  noble  intentions.  Hitherto 
the  boy  had  given  no  cause  for  complaint,  except  in 
the  fact  that  to  all  questions  concerning  the  past  he 
returned  the  same  obstinate  '  Don't  know,'  if  indeed 
he  answered  at  all.  Usually  he  put  on  a  sullen  look 
and  was  mute,  and  the  more  the  Countess  insisted,  the 
more  sternly  she  spoke,  the  more  she  threatened  him 
with  punishment,  the  more  stubborn  he  became.  Then 
ehe  tried  the  other  method,  and  spoke  kindly  to  him, 
telling  him  that  he  should  not  be  punished,  he  should 
be  rewarded  if  he  replied.     All  in  vain. 

One  strange  incident  occurred.  She  was  one  day 
looking  out  into  the  garden,  where  the  boy  w^as  play- 
ing. The  gardener  in  the  distance  called  loudly  to 
one  of  his  underlings,  '  Adolph,  Adolph  !' 

The  boy  hurriedly  threw  aside  what  he  was  playing 
with  and  ran  in  the  direction  of  the  call,  then  suddenly 
stopped  short,  seemed  to  reflect,  and  returned  to  his 
play  again.     Marie  Louise  called  down  to  him  to  come 


268  VIOL  ETTA 

to  her.  He  obeyed.  When  he  appeared  she  said 
quietly,  but  gravely,  "  You  have  told  us  a  falsehood ; 
your  name  is  not  Hugo."  The  little  fellow  looked  at 
her  in  dismay,  and  became  much  confused. 

"  Your  name  is  Adolph,"  she  went  on,  looking  fixedly 
at  hrm. 

In  his  first  surprise  the  words  escaped  him,  "Ah, 
how  did  you  find  out  that?" 

"  It  is  enough  that  I  know  it.  Now  tell  me  why 
you  lied  to  us." 

Instantly  the  stubborn  look  appeared  upon  his  face. 
"Don't  know." 

Marie  Louise  knew  from  experience  that  she  could 
not  get  beyond  those  words. 

She  told  her  husband  of  her  discovery  when  next 
she  saw  him,  and  hoped  that  he  would  now  admit  that 
she  had  been  right.  He  only  shrugged  his  shoulders. 
"  My  darling,  we  cannot  draw  any  conclusions.  It  is 
true  that  this  is  the  first  falsehood  we  have  detected 
him  in,  but  the  circumstances  are  so  extraordinary 
that  I  would  rather  await  further  developments,  and 
some  explanation  of  them." 

"  A  strange  method  of  bringing  up  children !  I 
Jo  not  understand  you!  Are  you  blind,  Armin,  or 
are  you  determined  not  to  perceive  the  truth  ?  Do 
you  not  see  how  attentive,  how  intelligent,  how  clever 
this  child  is  ?  Just  watch  him  stand  before  the  old  cup- 
board down-stairs,  where  the  silver  dishes  and  antique 
heirlooms  are  ranged  on  the  shelves ;  how  he  looks  at 
everything ;  how  he  admires  everything,  and  wishes 
to  know  exactly  the  cost  of  each." 

"  His  grandfather  was  probably  a  Jew  peddler,  my 
love,  and  has  bequeathed  to  his  grandson  a  little  of  his 
nose  and  a  great  deal  of  his  preference  for  everything 


THE   COUNTESS  LOSES  269 

that  glitters.     But  both  are  perfectly  consistent  with 
an  honourable  existence,  eh  ?" 

"  You  cannot  refrain  from  jesting,"  she  said,  of- 
fended. "  I  can  only  hope  that  my  prudence  and 
severity  may  prove  superfluous." 

But  it  looked  as  if  this  hope  were  to  be  disappointed, 
when,  the  next  day,  Count  Hess  returned  from  a  long 
ride  he  noticed  a  stir  and  bustle  among  the  ser\^ants. 
The  gardener  and  his  assistants  were  running  to  and 
fro  beneath  the  windows  of  a  room  that  looked  out 
upon  the  garden,  poking  with  long  poles  among  the 
few  remaining  leaves  of  the  wild  vine  that  grew  here 
luxuriantly  against  the  wall.  In  the  house  the  maid- 
servants were  hurrying  hither  and  thither. 

When  asked  what  was  the  matter,  one  of  them 
stammered  out  that  the  old  Madame  had  lost  her 
watch. 

The  Count  was  startled,  more  by  their  embarrassed 
faces  than  by  this  information.  He  went  directly  to 
Frau  von  Plattow's  room,  and  found  the  good  lady  in 
some  distress.  Her  watch,  which,  as  it  had  stopped, 
had  been  lying  with  the  chain  in  an  open  china  tray 
on  her  dressing-table,  had  vanished.  The  whole  house 
had  been  searched,  and  in  her  room  everything  had 
been  rummaged,  because — because  no  one  could  bear 
to  believe  what  the  gardener  and  his  assistants  main- 
tained. And  what  was  this  incredible  assertion? 
The  old  lady  sighed.  They  said  that  yesterday  even- 
ing— that  is  in  the  twilight  of  the  short  autumn  day — 
they  had  seen  little  Hugo  climb  into  the  open  window, 
and  after  a  little  while  climb  out  again,  and  then  run 
away  quickly. 

Count  Hess  was  startled :  "  I  shall  investigate  this 
matter  thoroughly.     Whore  is  the  boy  ?" 

23* 


270  VIOL  ETTA 

'•'  Up-stairs  with  Marie  Louise.  She  has  been  ques- 
tioning him." 

He  hurried  up-stairs  and  into  his  wife's  drawing- 
room,  where  he  found  what  he  had  expected  to  see. 
The  boy  was  leaning  against  the  window-frame,  and 
his  young  foster-mother  was  kneeling  before  him,  so 
that  she  could  look  into  his  eyes.  It  would  have  been 
hard  to  say  which  of  the  two  looked  the  more  ex 
hausted.  The  child  was  pale  as  death ;  her  face  wa» 
white  as  marble. 

"  Hugo,  I  entreat  you  now  for  the  last  time  to  con- 
fess the  truth,"  she  was  saying,  in  a  weary  tone  of 
resignation.  "  You  took  the  watch ;  confess  it,  and 
you  shall  not  be  punished."  The  boy  said  not  a  word, 
but  looked  past  her  straight  before  him,  when  sud- 
denly he  perceived  his  friend,  made  a  hasty  movement 
as  if  to  rush  towards  him,  and  fell  on  his  face, — hia 
hands  were  tied  behind  his  back, — but  he  uttered  no 
cry.  Marie  Louise  raised  him  up,  and  stood  him 
against  the  wall  again.  "Let  him  stand  there,  Ar- 
min. He  must  confess.  Of  course  you  have  heard 
it  all." 

"  But  has  it  been  proved  ?" 

"  As  good  as  proved.  Hear  what  the  gardener  haa 
to  say.     There  can  be  no  doubt." 

The  boy's  pale,  tearless  face  never  changed  as  she 
spoke.     He  gazed  apathetically  into  space. 

"Do  not  think  that  I  have  been  harsh  with  him, 
Armin ;  I  have  only  been  patient." 

The  child  now  looked  up,  and  in  his  eyes,  there  was 
the  mute  anguish  caused  him  by  this  patience,  and 
with  it  a  hopeless,  dull  expression  that  seemed  to  say, 
I  give  up  all  attempt  to  make  you  understand  that  I 
have  done  no  wrong. 


THE   COUNTESS  LOSES  273 

Count  Hess  felt  a  compassion  for  the  boy  which  his 
wife  would  have  called  weakness,  for  the  little  thief 
perhaps  found  Marie  Louise's  mercy  harder  to  en- 
dure than  a  sound  thrashing  from  a  hot-tempered 
mother. 

He  wanted  to  put  an  end  to  the  matter  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  as  he  knew  that  the  boy,  with  the  stub- 
born persistence  of  his  race,  would  refuse  to  answer 
inquisitorial  questions,  he  went  into  his  own  room, 
rang  for  the  servants,  and  examined  them  one  by  one. 
The  maid,  Pauline,  had  seen  the  watch  yesterday 
lying  in  the  china  tray,  and  that  was  all  she  knew 
about  it.  The  gardener  and  his  assistant  had  been 
busy  trimming  a  hedge,  when  they  had  noticed  the 
boy  among  the  branches  of  a  walnut-tree  opposite 
the  open  window,  and  had  seen  him  jump  from  the 
tree  into  it.  He  had  remained  in  the  room  some 
time,  and  had  reappeared  with  something  in  his  hand, 
which  he  had  tried  to  put  into  his  pocket,  and  as  he 
did  so  the  glitter  of  some  bright  metal  had  been  plainly 
visible.  But  they  had  had  no  suspicions,  and  the  boy 
had  run  away. 

The  absence  of  the  watch  had  been  first  observed  by 
Frau  von  Plattow  herself,  and  upon  her  dressing-table 
beside  the  little  china  tray  there  had  been  found  a 
small  whip  which  Hugo  generally  wore  stuck  in  his 
belt. 

All  these  facts  seemed  proof  enough.  Count  Hess 
returned  to  the  little  delinquent,  after  making  sure 
that  the  old  lady's  room  had  been  thoroughly  searched. 
The  boy  was  still  standing  against  the  wall,  and  Mario 
Louise  was  still  entreating  him  to  confess  where  he 
had  put  the  watch.  There  was  dead  silence  on  his 
part. 


272  VIOLETTA 

"  "Well,  have  j^ou  eifected  anything  ?"  the  Count 
asked  in  English. 

"  At  first  he  denied  stoutly  having  taken  it." 

"  Come,  that  is  something.  Did  he  deny  having 
been  in  the  room  ?" 

"No.  But  he  said  he  went  there  to  get  Nero's 
collar.  Since  then  he  has  refused  to  speak  another 
word." 

"Did  he  explain  how  the  dog's  collar  could  have 
got  into  that  room,  where  neither  he  nor  the  dog  ever 
went  ?" 

"  He  said  ho  had  thrown  it  in  through  the  window, 
and  after  that  would  say  nothing  more.  There  is  the 
dinner-bell,  Armin  ;  I  pray  you  go  down  without  me. 
I  could  not  eat  a  mouthful." 

Of  course  the  boy  was  to  have  no  dinner.  When 
Count  Hess  came  up  to  the  room  after  it  was  over, 
leaving  the  servants  still  searching  the  house  and  gar- 
den, he  found  matters  just  as  he  had  left  them. 

"  For  heaven's  sake  let  the  boy  go !"  he  cried,  im- 
patiently. "  You  look  like  a  corpse,  and  he  like  an 
idiot.  I  cannot  bear  to  look  at  you.  Let  him  have  a 
flogging,  if  it  must  be,  but  don't  kill  him  by  slow  tor- 
ture, and  yourself  too." 

"  As  for  me,"  she  said,  quietly,  "  he  is  torturing  me 
by  his  obstinacy,  and  if  he  suffers,  he  knows  that  he 
can  be  relieved  by  a  single  word." 

Count  Hess  could  not  look  on.  He  left  the  room. 
The  boy's  eyes  followed  him  in  silent  resignation. 

"Now,  Hugo,  I  give  you  your  choice,"  said  the 
Countess,  trembling  so  that  she  had  to  lean  against 
the  table  for  support.  "  I  have  wasted  upon  you  pa- 
tience, kindness,  and  threats.  Now  I  give  you  five 
minutes  more.    If  in  that  time  you  confess  where  you 


THE   COUNTESS  LOSES  273 

have  put  the  watch  and  chain,  everything  shall  be 
forgiven  and  you  shall  not  be  punished.  If  you  per- 
sist in  this  silence,  you  shall  be  tied,  with  your  hands 
ßtill  bound  together,  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase,  where 
every  one  will  see  you,  but  no  one  will  speak  to  you, 
and  you  can  no  longer  come  to  our  table.  Do  you 
understand  me?"  And  she  looked  at  the  clock,  her 
heart  beating  so  that  she  could  hardly  pronounce  the 
words. 

Profound  silence.  The  boy's  face  seemed  to  have 
lost  all  look  of  intelligence.  He  stared  apathetically 
before  him.  All  that  he  knew  was,  that  when  his 
hands  were  tied  and  he  was  stood  here  the  sun  shone 
through  the  window  into  his  face;  and  now  it  was 
shining  upon  his  back. 

Countess  Marie  Louise  waited,  not  five,  but  ten,  fif- 
teen minutes,  and  when  they  had  passed  without  a 
word  from  the  child,  she  kneeled  once  more  before  him, 
and  implored  him  in  a  failing  voice,  "  Only  one  word, 
Hugo,  I  entreat  you.  Tell  me  where  you  put  the 
watch." 

"  Don't  know,"  the  boy  said,  hoarsely,  looking  dully 
at  her. 

Then  a  sacred  indignation  took  possession  of  her. 
She  lifted  him  in  her  arms  and  carried  him  down-stairs. 

Meanwhile,  Count  Armin  had  questioned  the  servants 
as  to  whether  any  of  them  had  observed  the  dog  with- 
out his  collar,  but  none  could  call  to  mind  having 
missed  it.  At  all  events  it  was  on  his  neck  now, — a 
leather  strap  with  a  metal  buckle  and  plate.  Hugo 
had  often  polished  this  last  with  a  woollen  rag,  'to 
make  it  shine,'  but  the  buckle  was  so  clumsy  and  stiff 
that  the  boy  had  never  before  been  able  to  take  the 
collar  off. 


27-i  VIOLETTA 

"When  the  Count  returned  from  the  (garden  to  the 
house,  he  paused  in  the  hall.  There,  tied  to  the  lower 
post  of  the  balustrade  of  the  staircase,  stood  the  little 
sinner,  his  pale  face  cast  down,  the  picture  of  grief  and 
humiliation. 

Every  member  of  the  household  was  obliged  to  pass 
by  him;  he  was  exposed  to  the  unfeeling  remarks  of 
the  servants  ;  he  was  thoroughly  disgraced. 

Count  Hess  went  to  him,  his  face  dark,  and  loosened 
his  bonds.  The  boy  fell  on  the  floor  scarcely  con- 
scious. Armin  carried  him  up-stairs.  In  his  own 
room  he  laid  him  on  the  lounge,  and,  pouring  out  a 
few  drops  of  brandy  from  his  hunting-flask,  he  made 
him  drink  them,  soon  after  which  the  tortured  child 
fell  into  a  profound,  heavy  slumber. 

Then  the  Count  went  to  his  wife's  drawing-room, 
expecting  to  find  Marie  Louise  exhausted  on  the  sofa, 
but,  although  she  looked  ready  to  drop,  she  was  stand- 
ing erect  by  the  window. 

"  You  are  ill,"  he  said,  in  a  cold  tone.  "  Why  do  you 
not  lie  down  ?" 

"  I  cannot  lie  down  so  long  as  that  unhappy  child  is 
standing  there." 

"  Calm  yourself;  I  have  brought  him  up-stairs.  You 
have  no  right  to  subject  him  to  punishment  before  his 
guilt  is  proved." 

"  What  I  can  you  doubt  his  guilt  ?  Unfortunately, 
there  is  no  room  for  doubt." 

"  Has  he  confessed,  then  ?     Have  you  the  watch  ?" 

"No." 

"  Then  wait  until  you  have  it.  In  the  first  place, 
Doris  must  undress  the  boy,  and  give  him  a  cup  of 
strong  bouillon,  when  she  has  put  him  to  bed,  or  he 
will  be  really  ill." 


TUE   COUNTESS  LOSES  275 

"  Doris  Las  gone  to  town  to  see  her  daughter,  so  I 
will  put  him  to  bed  myself." 

"You?  No,  thank  j^ou.  That  might  be  anything 
but  good  for  the  boy." 

His  cold  tone  seemed  to  her  the  bitterest  injustice. 
She  had  suffered  intensely,  she  felt  miserable,  and 
had  expected  to  be  consoled  by  his  full,  approving 
sympathy.  How  had  she  deserved  this  coldness,  after 
having  exerted  the  utmost  patience  with  that  obsti- 
nate child  for  twelve  long  houi's  ?  She  turned  away, 
deeply  grieved,  struggling  with  her  tears. 

At  this  moment  the  servant  announced  a  visitor 
whose  name  was  entirely  unfamiliar  to  the  Count. 
He  handed  the  card  to  Marie  Louise  with,  "  Do  you 
know  this  person  ?" 

She  shook  her  head. 

"Ask  the  gentleman  his  business." 

"  He  says,  Herr  Count,  that  he  has  come  on  account 
— on  account  of  Hugo,  and  is  very  anxious  to  see 
either  the  Count  or  the  Countess." 

"  Then  show  him  in  immediately." 

A  few  minutes  later  a  very  well-dressed  gentleman 
with  a  black  moustache,  his  hat  held  under  his  arm, 
entered  the  drawing-room.  "  Pray  excuse  me,"  he 
said  ;  "  I  come  directly  from  Frankfox't-on-the-Main. 
where  I  am  in  business.  I  come  in  hopes  of  finding 
my  nephew  here.  I  have  discovered  a  clue  to  a  very 
sad  story  through  a  jeweller  who  is  known  to  me." 

Count  Hess  glanced  at  his  wife.  She  was  ashy  pale, 
but  preserved  a  semblance  of  composure. 

"  A  boy,  calling  himself  Hugo,  is  here  with  us,"  said 
Hess,  "  and  we  have  vainly  tried  to  learn  from  him 
anything  about  his  unhappy  mother,  who  was  drowned 
here.     His  persistent  silence  has  given  rise  to  the 


276  VIOLETTA 

suspicion  that  no  explanation  of  the  matter  is  pos- 
sible." 

"I  learned  all  this  in  the  neighbourhood,"  said  the 
stranger,  "and  I  am  here  to  explain  everything.  It 
can  be  done  in  a  few  words.  Adolph's  mother  was  my 
sister,  and  she  had  escaped  from  an  insane  asylum." 

A  painful  pause  ensued.  Marie  Louise  stood  with 
downcast  eyes. 

"  After  the  death  of  her  husband,"  the  visitor  con- 
tinued, "  she  became  insane,  and  was  taken  to  an  insti- 
tution out  of  town.  As  her  malady  was  always  ag- 
gravated by  the  absence  of  her  child,  the  boy  was 
allowed  to  be  with  her.  She  taught  him  to  read  and 
write,  and  he  spent  much  time  in  the  large  garden  of 
the  asylum.  She  enjoyed  a  great  degree  of  freedom, 
for  there  seemed  no  reason  for  confining  her  closely. 
But  the  day  before  her  disappeai'ance  she  confided  to 
another  patient  in  the  institution  that  her  enemies 
had  discovered  her  retreat  and  were  coming  to  kill 
her.  Therefore  she  begged  this  friend  not  to  betray 
who  she  was  or  where  she  lived.  Her  boy  had  been 
instructed  also  to  keep  utter  silence  with  regard  to 
her;  henceforth  she  was  to  be  called  the  Marquise 
Pompadour,  and  his  name  was  to  be  Hugo.  When 
her  flight  was  discovered,  every  means  was  eraploj'ed 
to  find  her,  but  in  vain.  Now  I  see  that  she  must 
have  taken  the  express  train  to  Berlin,  whence,  her 
money  being  all  gone,  she  wandered  hither  on  foot, — 
a  prey  to  such  misery  as  one  shrinks  from  imagining ! 
I  beg  you  to  let  me  see  my  nephew." 

This  was  a  distressing  moment.  Marie  Louise  could 
not  speak,  but  she  still  held  herself  proudly  erect. 

"  The  boy,"  said  Count  Hess,  "  is  not  very  well,  and 
is  just  now  sleeping.     I  frankly  confess  to  you,  sir, 


THE   COUNTESS  LOSES  27 T 

that  I  wish  from  my  heart  you  had  not  come  to-day, 
80  that  we  might  have  had  time  to  atone  for  possible 
injustice.  It  is  my  painlul  duty  to  acquaint  you  with 
what  has  occurred,  and  if  I  can,  to  excuse  it." 

The  stranger  looked  at  him  inquiringly,  but  before 
any  explanation  could  be  made  Frau  Doris  entered. 
She  had  just  returned  from  town,  and  was  still  in  her 
bonnet  and  shawl,  having  come  directly  to  her  young 
mistress  in  evident  ignorance  of  the  occurrences  of 
the  day.  She  did  not  perceive  the  stranger,  and  began 
instantly,  "  I  came  up  as  soon  as  possible,  madame,  to 
give  you  these  patterns,  and  my  daughter  sends  her 
respectful  duty." 

"  Thank  you,  Doris.  Put  them  down  ;  we  will  settle 
accounts  by  and  by.     You  see  we  have  a  visitor." 

"But  I  must  not  leave  this  little  box;  that  belongs 
to  Frau  von  Plattow." 

"  That " 

"Yes,  yes.  My  old  head  is  still  good  for  something," 
the  housekeeper  said,  with  a  self-satisfied  smile.  "Just 
as  I  was  going  this  morning,  I  bethought  me  of  Frau 
von  Plattow's  watch,  the  key  of  which  was  lost  last 
week.  So  I  took  it  with  me,  and  got  a  new  key  for  it. 
I  knew  that  if  she  missed  it  she  would  guess  that  1 
had  taken  care  of  it." 

Countess  Marie  Louise  tottered,  and  then  fell  on  the 
floor  in  a  dead  faint. 


24 


278  VIOLETTA 


CHAPTEE    XXV 

CO  MO 

His  Excellency  had  been  ordered  to  spend  a  wintei 
in  the  South.  No  one  knew  exactlj''  which  famous 
physician,  as  he  adjusted  his  gold  spectacles,  had  pre- 
ßcribed  this  remedy,  but  the  fact  was  known,  and  also 
that  his  fine,  costly  mansion  had  been  sold,  and  his 
servants,  with  the  exception  of  Friedrich  and  Carolina, 
dismissed.  All  this  was  discussed,  criticised,  bewailed 
for  several  weeks,  and  then  forgotten.  The  world 
forgets  quickly.  Possibly  General  Treffenbach  had 
reckoned  upon  its  doing  so. 

The  truth — known  only  to  himself  and  to  Violetta 
— was  that  he  preferred  to  await  his  utter  financial 
ruin  in  a  strange  land;  for  since  his  pension  barely 
sufiiced  to  provide  ber  Excellency's  toilettes,  and  his 
capital  had  been  largely  invaded  by  the  payment  of 
Madame  Fouquet's  debts  (a  chivalrous  act,  for  which 
he  was  ridiculed  by  that  enchanting  creature),  the 
addition  to  his  funds  resulting  from  the  sale  of  his 
Berlin  estate  would  of  course  soon  be  gone. 

Beatrice  was  delighted  with  the  journey  to  the 
South.  Since  her  return  from  Teplitz  she  had  de- 
clared herself  unable  to  endure  the  air  of  Berlin,  and 
undoubtedly  she  was  far  from  well.  Some  physi- 
cians pronounced  her  malady  intermittent  fever,  others 
nervous  disarrangement ;  and  so  she  dragged  out 
her  days  for  the  most  part  upon  the  lounge.  She 
had  a  preference  for  Como  because  of  its  vicinity  to 


COMO  279 

Milan  and  its  picturesque  environs,  therefore  Como 
was  selected  for  the  winter  residence ;  and  Fräulein 
Emma,  with  many  tears,  set  in  order  a  pretty  villa  on 
the  shores  of  the  lake,  confiding  to  her  faithful  Fried- 
rich  that  this  was  '  a  wretched  nest  in  comparison 
with  Berlin.' 

"  I  have  been  inquiring,  Friedrich,  and  I  find  that 
the  jilace  has  only  twenty-four  thousand  inhabitants, — 
quite  insignificant.  And  what  is  the  use  of  all  this 
water?  None  at  all.  And  these  brown  ragamuffins 
who  are  lounging  about  the  lake  all  day !  And  her 
Excellency  says  Como  is  her  ideal !  She's  forgotten 
what  it  is.  She'll  be  surprised  when  she  comes.  Ah, 
if  your  old  mistress  had  lived  to  see  this !" 

A  few  days  later,  when  everything  was  in  order,  the 
family  arrived.  The  general  looked  old  and  changed ; 
his  wife  seemed  to  revive  again.  She  sat  in  her  draw- 
ing-room looking  out  upon  the  lake,  and  let  the  warm, 
delicious  air  breathe  in  at  the  open  windows. 

But  when  the  first  excitement  was  over  her  feverish 
attacks  recurred,  and  the  view  of  the  shining  mirror 
of  the  lake  made  her  melancholy.  "  Call  it  what  you 
please,  Constantin,  caprice,  nerves,  headache,  disease 
of  the  heart,  anything  that  you  like,  but  find  some 
remedy  for  it." 

She  was  reclining  on  the  lounge  as  she  spoke,  and 
he  clasped  her  hand  in  his  and  sighed  profoundly, 
"  It  is  the  reaction  after  all  your  summer  gayety,"  he 
said.  "After  Pi-ince  Joseph's  betrothal  to  that  merry 
little  Schönburg-Gravenstein  there  was  no  end  to  the 
Menardi  festivities." 

"Reaction?  Oh,  my  dearest  Constantin,  could  I 
possibly  be  so  weak  as  to  suffer  a  reaction  after  a  few 
picnic-parties?     No,  no!     You  do  not  understand  me. 


280  VIOLETT  A 

The  evil  lies  Ziere."  She  put  her  hand  to  her  forthead. 
"  Here  there  is  a  void,  a  porj:)etual  torturing  pam, 
which  affects  everything, — my  thoughts,  my  wholo 
physical  frame.  I  have  become  so  indolent,  so  indiffer- 
ent, that  I  should  not  be  affected  by  any  tidings,  how- 
ever frightful ;  and  yet  a  buzzing  fly  can  drive  me 
insane.  There  is  a  fire  within  that  demands  fuel,  and, 
finding  none,  searches  every  vein  and  pulse ;  and  yet 
I  am  so  weary,  so  dull,  that  it  costs  me  a  struggle  to 
take  interest  in  anj^thing.  Once  befoi-e  in  my  life  I 
was  affected  in  the  same  way.  It  was  when  Sir 
George  sent  me  to  Italy  to  have  my  voice  cultivated. 
I  was  but  twelve  years  old.  The  world  looked  glo- 
rious to  me,  and  I  was  going  out  into  it  with  a  joyful 
heart.  They  had  given  me  into  the  charge  of  the 
captain  of  the  vessel,  and  in  Genoa  I  was  received  by 
the  Contellis,  who  were  connected  with  the  opera  in 
Milan,  and  to  whom  Sir  George  had  intrusted  ni}' 
education.  As  long  as  Italy  was  a  vision  of  my  im- 
agination I  was  happy  and  healthy,  but  as  soon  as  it 
became  reality  I  began  to  sicken.  I  cried  perpetually. 
I  was  wretched  bodily  and  mentall}'',  and  I  had  this 
same  miserable  sensation  of  lassitude,  of  disappoint- 
ment. What  name  would  you  give  it  ?" 
"  There  is  a  malady  called  homesickness." 
She  looked  thoughtfully  at  him,  anxious  and  uncer- 
tain, then  suddenly  began  to  laugh,  and  although  it 
was  but  a  shadow  of  her  old  laughter,  it  filled  him 
with  hope, 

"  But,  after  all,  what's  in  a  name  ?  We  will  not 
think  of  it  any  more.  Do  you  know  what  I  have 
done  to-day?  I  have  invited  some  old  friends  here, — 
Mamma  and  Papa  Contelli  from  Milan.  T^-^ey  will 
amuse  and  cheer  me.     I  long  to  talk  of  old  times,  and 


(:o^ro  281 

these  people  are  really  veiy  much  attached  to  me. 
Do  you  remember  the  little  fair-haired  Contelli  who 
was  in  Berlin  with  me  as  Violetta's  singing-master 
and  my  secretary?  He  is  a  famous  tenor  now,  and 
has  gone  to  Vienna  with  an  opera  company.  When  I 
first  went  to  the  Contellis  the  little  Tonino  was  in  his 
cradle,  and  I  used  to  sing  him  to  sleep  with  my  Italian 
verbs  strung  together  in  a  cradle-song.  Constantin, 
time  flies  fearfully  fast;  it  sometimes  fills  me  with 
horror.  Life  flits  past  us,  and  what  does  it  leave? 
The  less  trouble  we  have,  the  pleasanter  it  is,  the 
more  swiftly  it  flies." 

"A  year  ago  you  Avere  complaining  that  it  had 
leaden  wings." 

The  Beatrice  suddenly  began  to  cry  bitterly.  Her 
nerves  were  too  weak  to  bear  even  this  mild  contra- 
diction. 

General  Treff^nbach  treated  the  sufferings  as  well 
as  the  whims  of  his  beautiful  wife  with  unvarying 
tenderness.  He  still  considered  it  a  distinguished 
privilege  to  be  allowed  to  dry  these  tears. 

"  Do  not  look  at  me  so  sadly,  Constantin ;  I  do  not 
deserve  so  much  love.  It  vexes  me  to  distress  you, 
and  yet  I  cannot  help  it!" 

She  dried  her  tears,  and  lay  back  among  the  cush- 
ions with  closed  eyes,  while  he  sat  beside  her,  anxious 
cares  besieging  him  as  he  passed  his  hand  caressingly 
over  her  loosened  curls. 

With  what  could  he  reproach  her?  Perhaps  with 
too  great  love  of  pleasure  and  with  waywardness, — but 
with  nothing  else.  The  sweetness  of  her  disposition 
was  exceeded  only  by  that  of  her  daughter,  for  Vio- 
letta  never  pouted,  was  never  refractory.  And  even 
these  defects  Beatrice  invested  with  a  certain  charm. 

24* 


282  VIOLETTA 

Slio  had  a  •warm  heart,  with  all  her  apparent  heart 
lessness.  He  could  not  ask  her  to  be  sentimental  ovei 
his  rheumatism,  or  for  love  of  him  to  go  into  the  kit- 
chen. He  was  abundantly  content  with  the  bewitch 
ing  smile  with  which  she  would  say,  '  My  dearest 
Constantin,' 

And  yet  he  was  not  happy.  She  was  extravagant, 
and  in  this  respect  entirely  without  reason  or  con- 
science. She  had  drawn  erroneous  conclusions  as  to 
his  wealth  from  his  style  of  living.  She  did  not  know 
that  he  had  married  an  heiress,  but  that  he  had  had 
far  too  much  delicacy,  too  much  chivalric  sentiment, 
ever  to  hint  to  his  wife  the  propriety  of  making  a 
will.  Frau  Louise  had  been  as  ignorant  and  inno- 
cent as  a  child  in  such  matters,  and  dying  intestate, 
her  son  had  inherited  all  that  was  hers. 

It  was  of  no  use  to  acquaint  Beatrice  with  these 
circumstances  and  their  consequences.  She  only 
smiled. 

Was  it  these  cares  that  embittered  the  happiness  of 
his  life  like  poison  distilled  drop  b}^  drop  into  a  full 
glass  ?  Ah,  as  he  looked  down  at  her  now,  and  saw 
how  pale  and  thin  the  face  once  so  blooming  had  be- 
come, he  had  but  one  wish, — for  the  wealth  of  a 
Croesus,  that  he  might  lay  it  all  at  her  feet. 

He  could  have  borne  it  all,  however,  the  loss  of  his 
lofty  position,  the  gradual  withdrawal  of  his  former 
friends,  the  vanishing  of  his  property,  but  among  the 
many  sacrifices  that  he  had  made  to  this  woman  one 
had  been  too  great, — his  son !  This  sacrifice  he  could 
not  bear,  and  it  was  all  the  more  unendurable  since 
he  had  once  hoped  that  the  breach  was  entirely  healed. 
"When  he  perceived  that  he  had  been  mistaken,  bitter 
grief  took  up  its  abode  in  his  heart. 


COMO  28S 

A  little  hand  was  suddenly  joassed  lightly  over  his 
grizzling  hair.  Yioletta  had  glided  noiselessly  into 
the  room  to  smile  at  him,  and  then  to  flit  out  again. 
On  the  threshold  she  beckoned  to  him.  He  rose  cau- 
tiously and  followed  her. 

"A  letter?"  he  asked,  in  an  eager  whisper. 

"  No,  no,  not  to-day ;  but  something  like  it.  The 
bookseller  has  sent  us  his  work, — and  what  a  work ! 
Santa  Maria!  there  are  five  volumes!" 

The  general  sighed  profoundly,  and  then  went  slowly 
to  his  study.  The  rooms  in  the  villa  were  spacious 
and  bright,  and  had  been  made  to  look  wonderfully 
comfortable  with  the  furniture  and  articles  brought 
from  Berlin.  All  the  front  windows  looked  out  upon 
the  lake  and  its  encircling  mountains,  their  purple 
peaks  bathed  in  the  sunshine  of  a  southei'n  winter. 

Violetta  and  Fräulein  Emma  had  taken  care  that 
the  general  should  find  in  his  room  everything  to 
which  he  had  been  accustomed.  Upon  a  table  lay  a  map 
of  South  America,  upon  which  he  was  wont  to  travel 
with  a  pair  of  compasses.  Travels  in  Brazil  formed 
his  favourite  reading  at  present,  after  the  letters  which 
came  thence  from  time  to  time,  and  furnished  the  gen- 
eral and  his  step-daughter  with  food  for  endless  conver- 
sation. For  Magnus  wrote  interestingly  and  in  detail ; 
he  travelled  much,  and  knew  how  to  tell  of  his  travels 
and  studies.  That  he  never  mentioned  either  Violetta 
or  Beatrice,  and  yet  felt  it  necessaiy  to  assure  his 
father  at  the  close  of  every  letter  of  his  unalterable 
aflFection  and  devotion,  pained  the  general  more  than 
a  studied  insult  could  have  done.  He  now  cut  the 
string  of  the  package, — yes,  Violetta  had  guessed  cor- 
rectly. There  lay  the  five  volumes  of  a  work  which 
merely  to  look  into  would  cause  the  uninitiated  a 


284  VIOLETTA 

vertigo.  "What  leai*ning,  what  study,  what  industry 
wore  here  expended !  what  a  mass  of  material  gath- 
ered together  in  the  history  of  all  the  religions  of  the 
world,  culminating  in  Christianity  I 

The  pity  was  that  the  book  was  quite  too  learned  to 
be  read,  if  only  because  of  the  mingling  of  languages 
in  it.  Every  two  words  of  German  were  followed  by 
at  least  three  of  Greek  or  Latin,  the  author  appearing 
to  consider  it  a  matter  of  course  that  these  two  lan- 
guages should  be  understood  by  every  cultivated  per- 
son. It  was  surely  enough  now  and  then  to  translate 
a  sentence  or  two  of  Turkish  or  Sanskrit.  The  leaders 
of  the  schools  would  pore,  spectacles  on  nose,  over  this 
work  sentence  by  sentence,  and  with  the  help  of  vari- 
ous other  books  would  perhaps  understand  it. 

"  Paj^a,"  said  Yioletta,  timidly,  "  must — must  we  read 
all  that  ?" 

"  God  forbid !" 

"  Oh,  I  ought  to  be  ashamed,  but  I  can't  help  being 
glad." 

Fräulein  Emma  appeared  at  the  door  at  this  mo- 
ment to  say  that  there  were  visitors  in  the  drawing- 
room,  and  her  Excellency  wished  Yioletta  to  come 
immediately. 

When  the  young  girl  entered  the  drawing-room  there 
rose  from  the  sofa  a  little  gentleman  and  a  little  lady, 
— genuine  miniature  editions  of  humanity, — and  the 
little  lady  clasped  her  hands  over  her  head,  "  The 
Bimbina!  Santa  Lucia!  The  Bimbina  is  grown  up !" 
And  then  ensued  kisses,  huggings,  laughter,  and  chat- 
ter without  end. 

"  Look,  look,  Pietro,  I  pray  1  The  fairy  has  outgrown 
us  both !  She  must  be  taller  than  Tonino,"  The  little 
lady  laughed  and  clapped  her  hands,  then  embraced 


COMO  2S5 

"Violetta  again,  patted  hci*  cheeks,  clasped  her  to  her 
heart,  and  stood  on  tiptoe.  "  Outgrown  us  both !  What 
an  impertinent  fairy !  And  has  forgotten  us  ?  Doesn't 
know  Papa  and  Mamma  Contelli  ?  Has  forgotten  poor 
Tonino  ?  Oh,  no,  no,  she  has  not  forgotten  us.  I  com- 
pliment you  upon  your  lovely  daughter,  Excellency 
Beatrice.     The  darling  !  the  kitten!" 

Her  Excellency  heard  it  all  with  a  weary  smile,  and 
when  the  worthy  couple  had  somewhat  recovered  from 
their  delight,  questions  and  answers  followed  one 
another  in  rapid  succession. 

The  lively  little  Signora  had  once  been  a  singer  of 
some  reputation,  but  that  was  long  ago.  She  had 
always  been  an  admirable  little  soul.  She  had  re- 
tired from  the  stage  many  years  since ;  hers  was 
a  domestic  nature,  with  small  care  for  fame  or  ap- 
plause, and  she  had  preferred  to  exercise  her  sweet 
voice  in  singing  lullabies  to  eight  little  Contellis  one 
after  another.  Heaven  had  bestowed  upon  her  a  hus- 
band in  harmony  with  her  in  every  respect,  even  in 
being*  a  head  shorter  than  is  usual  with  the  sons  of 
men.  But  what  a  head  there  was  on  that  small  body  ! 
So  gi-and  and  Jove-like  that  all  the  rest  of  the  man 
looked  like  a  mere  appendage.  By  virtue  of  this  head 
he  had  been  incomparable  upon  the  stage  in  former 
times  in  old  Greek  tragedies.  Now  he  had  relin- 
quished art,  and  held  a  lucrative  office  under  govern- 
ment, leaving  the  family  laurels  to  be  worn  by  his 
youngest  son,  Tonino. 

These  faithful  souls  retained  all  their  old  affection 
for  their  former  foster-daughter,  loving  her  as  if  she  had 
been  their  own  child.  Signora  Lucia  boasted  that  she 
had  made  Beatrice's  first  marriage.  Not  that  Bettina 
might  not  have  made  even  then  a  grander  match,  but 


286  VIOLETTA 

that  she  accepted  simple,  hoocst  Albert  Foiiquet  in- 
stead of  some  sprig  of  nobility  was  owing  to  Signora 
Contelli's  influence.  "  And  whom  is  the  Bimbina  going 
to  marry  ?  lias  she  many  adorers  ?  Has  she  lost  her 
heart  yet  ?" 

Yioletta  laughed,  blushed,  and  shook  her  head,  as 
her  mother  said,  "  The  Bimbina  is  terribly  fastidi- 
ous. She  might  have  married  a  prince,  but  she  would 
not." 

Frau  Lucia  clapped  her  hands  again :  "  Pietro, 
Pietro,  hearken,  my  soul !  The  child  might  have  mar- 
ried a  prince,  and  it  is  but  a  moment  since  she  was  in 
her  cradle !  And  what  will  she  do  if  she  does  not 
marry?  Sing?  Has  she  a  beavitiful  voice?  Three 
years  ago,  when  Tonino  came  home  from  Berlin,  the 
lad  was  very  sad ;  he  said  Violetta  was  to  be  in  the 
ballet ;  that  her  voice  was  sweet  but  too  weak.  Sing 
us  a  song,  my  child.  I  told  Antonio  then,  '  Tonino, 
thou  art  an  ass  1'  but  he  did  not  believe  me,  although, 
in  truth,  he  is  a  modest  lad.     Come,  Bimba !" 

Violetta  hesitated,  and  looked  towards  her  mother. 
Beatrice's  eyes  were  sparkling,  her  cheeks  glowing. 
"  Mamma  cannot  listen  to  music  now,"  she  whispered 
to  Herr  Contelli.  "  I  have  had  lessons  every  day,  but 
she  never  heard  them.  It  makes  her  tremble.  Poor 
mamma !     Her  nerves  are  so  weak." 

"  Nonsense !"  Beatrice  called  from  her  sofa.  "  Sing, 
Violetta!  It  will  please  them.  Your  voice" — she 
smiled  ironically — "  can  hardly  be  so  overwhelming  as 
to  prevent  my  listening  to  it  for  once ;  it  is  those  eter- 
nal scales  and  trills  that  make  me  nervous." 

The  grand  piano  was  in  the  adjoining  room,  which 
was  appropi'iated  specially  to  Violetta.  Herr  Contelli 
opened  the  instrument,  and  Violetta  looked  through 


CüMO  287 

her  notes, — all  scores  of  operas.  "  She  must  be  per- 
fectly trained !"  Frau  Lucia  exclaimed,  looking  over 
the  girl's  shoulder. 

"Ah,  there  is  still  much  to  be  done.  But  it  is  my 
chief  delight,  and  I  had  such  a  magnificent  teacher. 
He  belonged  to  the  opera.  I  alwaj^s  called  him  Herr 
Meistersinger,  and  we  had  many  a  dispute.  He  is  a 
"Wagnerite,  but  I,"  the  girl  concluded,  with  dignity, 
"  never  forgot  that  I  was  born  in  Milan." 

Herr  Contelli  was  already  strumming  impatiently 
upon  the  piano,  looking  like  a  little  lion  whose  prey 
has  been  offered  him  and  then  withdrawn.  Yioletta 
made  haste  to  take  her  place  beside  him,  and  began 
to  sing  what  he  had  selected. 

And,  in  fact,  if  Antonio  Contelli  had  been  here,  he 
would  have  hung  his  blond  head  in  shame.  Frau 
Contelli  listened,  entranced,  to  the  clear  liquid  tones. 

At  this  moment  the  door  on  the  other  side  of  the 
room  leading  into  the  passage  was  opened,  and  a  mus- 
cular, broad-shouldered  figure  advanced  cautiously  on 
tiptoe  into  the  room,  his  brown,  grotesque  face  lit  up 
by  flashes  of  surprise,  approval,  rapture.  Then  he  and 
the  Signora  began  to  nod  to  each  other,  to  gesticulate, 
to  keep  time  by  swaying  movements  of  their  bodies, 
while  the  little  woman  laughed  and  cried,  and  with 
finger  on  lif»  said,  "  Sh —  sh  !" 

Violetta  saw  nothing  of  all  this.  Her  face  turned 
towards  the  open  window,  she  was  singing  with  all 
the  freshness  and  abandon  of  a  young  bird ;  but  scarcely 
had  the  last  note  died  away  when  there  ensued  one  of 
those  rapturous  outbursts  of  applause  which  are  pos- 
sible only  among  enthusiastic  artists.  All  three  of  her 
listeners  shouted,  wept,  and  fell  into  one  another's  arms, 
in  an  ecstasy, — 


288  VIOL  ETTA 

"  Brava  I  Brava !  Bravissima !" 
"  A — h  I  She  has  the  soprano  of  an  angel  !'* 
The  little  Herr  Contclli  outdid  them  all  in  his  dem- 
onstrations ;  he  fairl}^  stamped  upon  the  floor  with 
pleasure.  Yioletta  thought  only  of  her  delight  in 
seeing  again  her  kind  old  friend  Sir  George,  and  all 
were  so  occupied  with  their  own  emotions  that  no  one 
noticed  that  the  portiere  of  the  door  leading  into  her 
Excellency's  room  was  drawn  aside,  and  that  Beatrice's 
lovel}''  figure  was  standing  in  the  opening,  shivering 
slightly  as  with  fever.  Her  face  was  pale,  with  the 
clear  pallor  possible  only  to  brunette  complexions,  and 
her  large  eyes,  their  depths  glowing  with  a  strange, 
feverish  yearning,  were  gazing  at  the  group,  who  in 
their  tumultuous  delight  seemed  to  have  forgotten 
her  existence.  "Was  it  a  sob,  was  it  a  low  cry  of  pain, 
that  sounded  a  discord  amid  the  rapturous  exclama- 
tions of  these  foolish  people  ?  No  one  heeded  it ;  and 
Beatrice  stood  there  thinking  of  a  day — oh,  heavens ! 
of  all  the  hundred  days  in  which  she  too  had  taken 
part  in  just  such  moments  of  illimitable  joy;  when 
just  such  old  and  young  fools  had  kissed  her  feet, 
and  borne  the  gifted  child  upon  their  shoulders  to 
show  her  to  the  people.  Incredible  moments  those 
had  been,  when,  in  a  small  circle  of  three  or  four,  or 
even  six,  brothers  and  sisters  in  art,  little  Irish  Betty 
had  sung  and  shamed  her  Italian  sisters.  But  envy 
there  had  been  none.  Homage  had  been  rendered  to 
the  beautiful,  and  it  had  evoked  an  insj)ired  enthu- 
siasm which  to  sober  people  looked  like  the  folly  of 
intoxication. 

She  stood  there  now  feeling  herself  for  the  first 
time,  an  outcast,  a  captive,  a  fine  lady,  whose  path  in 
life  could  never  atrain  be  the  same  as  that  of  these 


COMO  289 

'  singer-folk.'  She  grew  dizzy  with  a  sensation  of  de- 
spair.    Ah,  now  she  knew  the  name  of  her  malady! 

"  Good  heavens,  Beatrice !"  her  husband's  deep,  com- 
manding voice  suddenly  spoke  behind  her,  "  you  com- 
plain of  your  nerves,  and  yet  you  can  endure  that 
barbarous  racket  in  your  rooms !  What  in  the  world 
is  the  meaning  of  it?  How  you  look!"  he  added,  in 
dismay,  as  she  shrank  from  him  with  eyes  that  were 
positively  wild. 

"  Let  me — let  me  go  in !"  she  stammered,  half  un- 
consciously, but  while  he  spoke  he  had  drawn  the 
portiere  close,  and  he  now  gently  forced  her  to  go 
back  to  her  sofa  and  to  lie  down,  bending  over  her  in 
great  distress.  She  soon  recovered  herself,  and  when 
he  would  have  left  her  to  go  into  the  next  room,  she 
detained  him.  "  Oh,  no,  Constantin,  do  not  interrupt 
that  innocent  tumult.     It  is  balm  to  my  nerves." 

"But  who  is  it?  Have  they  quite  forgotten  in 
whose  house  they  are  ?"  he  asked,  sternly. 

"  Ah  !"  she  replied,  smiling,  "  her  Excellency  von 
Treffenbach  is  of  small  account  with  those  people  at 
such  a  moment.  Violetta  has  been  singing,  that  is 
all.     Do  you  understand  ?" 

«Not  at  all." 

Beatrice  turned  aside  her  face,  and  the  tears  rolled 
from  beneath  her  closed  eyelids. 

All  had  become  quiet  in  the  other  room.  Violetta 
had  probably  alluded  to  'poor  mamma.'  Ah,  the 
former  worshipped  queen  was  now  only  'poor  mamma!' 
The  beautiful  woman  bit  her  lip  and  murmured,  "  I 
will  be  well  again ;  I  will !  I  will !" 

Yioletta  huri'ied  into  the  room  and  kneeled  beside 
her  mother.  "  Oh,  mamma,"  she  whispered,  "  I  am 
BO  sorry.  You  have  been  suffering.  I  sent  those  poo- 
N        t  25 


290  VIOLETTA 

pie  away;  even  our  dear  Sir  George,  who  will  como 
back  when  you  are  better.  I  told  them  you  must 
have  rest." 

And  she  brought  another  cushion  and  a  soft  cover- 
ing, placed  a  little  screen  before  the  sofa,  and  put  her 
arm  around  her  mother's  neck,  as  Beatrice  burst  into 
a  fit  of  sobbing. 

Meanwhile,  the  general  stood  at  the  window  looking 
after  the  disturbers  of  the  peace.  The  three  were 
walking  together,  Sir  George  in  the  middle,  with  a 
little  figure  on  each  side  of  him.  Signor  Contelli  pre- 
sented a  sufficiently  odd  appearance,  with  his  shiny 
tall  hat  on  his  large  head,  to  which  the  delicate  little 
body  seemed  a  mere  appurtenance,  but  Sir  George 
looked  exactly  like  one  of  Gavarni's  caricatures. 

General  Trefi^enbach  gazed  after  them  as  they  walked 
on,  gesticulating,  laughing,  shrugging,  and  muttered 
beneath  his  gray  moustache,  "  Play-actors  !"  Unfor- 
tunately, the  word  did  not  escape  his  wife's  sharp 
ears. 

The  next  day,  when  the  general  and  Violetta  had 
gone  to  town  to  visit  the  Cathedral,  Sir  George 
marched  into  her  Excellency's  drawing-room  with  all 
the  assurance  so  peculiarly  his  own. 

This  time  Beatrice  did  not  run  to  meet  him.  She 
avoided  his  glance,  and  could  not  conceal  that  his 
presence  was  not  perfectly  welcome  to  her,  for  he 
looked  keenly  at  her  with  what  seemed  to  her  a  mali- 
cious air.  However,  he  sat  down,  and  ran  both  hands 
through  his  thick,  dishevelled  hair.  "  I  am  growing 
very  gray,  Beatrice,"  he  said,  with  a  sigh. 

"  So  am  I." 

"  And  life  seems  to  me  but  a  poor,  worthless  affair." 
'  "  And  to  me  too." 


COMO  291 

"  Hush,  you  mocking-bird  !"  he  rejoined,  irritably. 

Beatrice  buried  her  face  among  the  sofa-cushions, 
and  suddenly  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears. 

"  Aha !"  said  Sir  George,  rising  and  leaning  over 
her.     "Aha!  sets  the  wind  in  that  quarter?" 

"  My  nerves, — nothing  more,"  she  sobbed,  angrily. 

"  Then  everything  is  coming  to  an  end  when  Bea- 
trice would  fain  persuade  me  that  she  has  nerves  I 
Give  it  up.  I  know  better.  These  are  tears  of  re- 
morse, child  !  I  must  have  a  place  among  the  proph- 
ets, for  I  foretold  this, — that  an  hour  would  como 
when  you  would  seem  to  yourself  an  outcast,  a  pariah. 
You  are  standing  before  the  closed  doors  of  the  tem- 
ple; within  are  your  life,  your  happiness,  your  friends, 
your  art,  and  you  can  never  enter  there  again.  Your 
tears  and  sighs  are  in  vain.  You  are  nothing,  your 
existence  is  a  mere  empty  shell,  splendour  without 
reality.  The  business  of  j^^our  life  is  to  be  a  man's 
idle  toy.  Beatrice,  Beatrice,  such  a  woman  as  you 
was  not  created  for  this.  But  where  is  the  use  of 
talking?  It  is  too  late.  Terrible  words,  Beatrice, — 
too  late." 

"And  why?"  she  exclaimed,  suddenly  standing 
erect  before  him  in  all  the  brilliancy  of  her  former 
beauty,  with  sparkling  eyes  and  glowing  cheeks,  her 
small  hand  clinched  and  pressed  to  her  heart.  "Do 
not  provoke  me.  Sir  George,  by  doubting  my  power 
and  dubbing  me  a  feeble  slave.  If  I  would  I  could,  but 
I  will  not." 

"  My  dear  Betty,  you  know  your  husband  but  little, 
and  undei'value  him  much.  He  will  gladly  sacrifice 
to  you  all  that  he  possesses,  but  to  ask  of  him  that  her 
Excellency  von  Treffenbach  should  tread  the  boards 
of  a  theatre  would  be  too  much."     He  arose,  went  to 


292  VIOLETTA 

the  door  into  the  next  room,  drew  aside  the  portiere, 
and  sat  down  at  the  piano. 

At  this  moment  Yioletta  entered,  and  whispered  in 
terror,  "  Ah,  there  he  is  again ;  he  must  not  play. 
Your  poor  head,  dear  mamma." 

"  Let  him,  let  him !"  her  mother  rejoined,  lying  back 
among  her  cushions  again. 

Sir  George  seemed  to  have  forgotten  that  any  one 
could  hear  him ;  he  struck  several  mighty  chords,  and 
then  broke  forth  with  majestic  force  into  the  grand 
old  choral,  'A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God,'  the  old 
battle-song  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Involuntarily 
Yioletta's  angel  tones  joined  in,  and  floated  clearly 
above  the  deep  accompaniment.  Beatrice  fled  from 
the  room.  She  could  not  bear  it;  that  melody  re- 
minded her  of  some  of  her  most  glorious  triumphs. 


CHAPTEE    XXVI 

MUTTERINGS   OF   THUNDER 

The  day  was  waning,  twilight  was  struggling  with 
darkness,  and  lamps  were  needed  in  the  apartments  to 
reveal  all  the  comforts  that  reigned  there.  Fried- 
rich  had  just  lighted  those  in  her  Excellency's  draw- 
ing-room, and  then,  drawing  aside  the  portiere,  he 
lighted  the  sconces  against  the  wall  above  the  piano 
in  the  next  apartment.  This  last  was  done  every 
evening,  but  it  was  generally  a  useless  illumination. 

Yioletta  was  seated  beside  her  mother's  sofa,  with 


MUTTERINGS  OF  THUNDER  293 

sorao  embroidery  in  her  lap,  discussing  "with  Beatrice 
the  previous  day,  which  they  had  passed  together  in 
Milan,  where  her  Excellency  had  visited  all  her  former 
acquaintances  and  had  presented  her  daughter  to  them. 
A  supper  in  the  evening  in  a  circle  of  brilliant  men 
and  women  had  ended  the  excursion,  and  had  restored 
for  the  while  elasticity  of  spirit  to  Beatrice's  mobile 
temperament, — a  result  which  was  still  evident  as  she 
talked  the  visit  over  with  her  daughter. 

"  Mamma,  you  look  as  fresh  and  lovely  as  you  used 
to  do,"  the  girl  said  with  affectionate  pride.  "  I  think 
you  will  recover  entii'ely  here.  The  doctor  is  right :  it 
is  only  your  nerves." 

"  I  had  a  dose  of  admirable  medicine  yesterday,  and 
to-day  I  am  just  in  the  mood  to  say  to  the  general 
what  I  have  long  had  on  my  mind ;  but  in  his  ailing 
and  irritable  condition  he  shrinks  from  all  mental  dis- 
turbance, and  never  knows  how  to  give  an  easy  turn 
to  a  conversation." 

"  Oh,  mamma,  what  do  you  mean  ?"  Violetta  asked, 
gravely.  "  I  hope  you  are  not  going  to  ask  for  money 
to  go  to  Dresden  to  the  Menardi  marriage." 

"  I  had  no  intention  of  accepting  that  invitation. 
Who  would  willingly  go  North  in  January  ?  No ;  I 
want  to  discuss  another  matter  with  him."  And  the 
beautiful  woman  rose  hastily.  She  wanted  to  speak 
while  the  cheerful  humour  possessed  her  that  lent 
such  a  charm  to  all  that  she  said.  Violetta  did  not 
follow  her  mother  from  the  room,  but  her  anxious 
eyes  pursued  her.  "  I  am  afraid,"  she  whispered,  but 
her  mother  did  not  hear  her. 

The  general  was  sitting  in  his  room  at  the  table, 
upon  which  was  spread  out  the  map  of  South  America. 
A  coverlet  lay  over  his  knees,  and  his  stiff  arm  was 

25* 


294  VIOLETTA 

■well  wrapped  up,  for  a  wind  that  had  been  blowing 
across  the  lake  for  a  coui^le  of  days  had  brought  back 
his  old  malady. 

Two  candles  were  burning  on  the  table  before  him. 
Beatrice  opened  the  door  noiselessly,  and  then  hesi- 
tated. He  did  not  see  her,  for  his  face  was  turned 
from  her  towards  the  wall,  where  hung  the  portrait 
of  his  first  wife,  and  one  of  his  son  when  a  boy,  in 
hunting  costume,  his  gun  upon  his  shoulder.  In  the 
background  the  lake,  the  moor,  and  the  village  of 
Velzin  showed  indistinctly,  as  in  a  gray  mist. 

Her  Excellency  could  see  but  little  of  her  husband's 
face,  and  this  little  looked  to  her  gray,  thin,  and  old. 
He  turned  round  and  pei-ceived  her.  His  first  impulse 
was  to  spring  up  and  receive  her  with  his  usual  chi- 
valric  courtesy.  This  was  the  first  time  she  had  paid 
him  a  visit  in  his  sick-room.  But  she  prevented  his 
rising  by  hastening  to  his  side  and  laying  one  hand 
upon  his  shoulder,  while  with  the  other  she  drew  up 
a  low  chair,  in  which  she  placed  herself  opposite  him, 
looking  at  him  with  mingled  archness  and  melancholy. 
"  My  dear  Constantin,  forgive  me  for  interrupting 
your  sad  reflections.  While  you  are  pondering  upon 
the  problem  of  existence  here  in  your  room  I  am 
doing  the  same  thing  in  mine.  Perhaps  together  we 
can  discover  some  solution." 

As  she  spoke  she  tapped  the  floor  lightly  with  the 
heel  of  her  little  blue  slipper.  The  general  sighed, 
and  passed  his  hand  over  his  forehead. 

"  Do  not  let  us  be  sentimental,  Constantin.  I  must 
tell  you  frankly  I  cannot  bear  this  any  longer.  I 
am  ill,  and  there  is  but  one  cure  for  me,  and  that  ia 
freedom  I" 

He  started,  and  gazed  at  her  speechless  for  a  mo- 


MÜTTERINQS  OF  THUNDER  295 

nieut;  then  his  blood  began  to  course  wildly  in  his 
veins  and  his  face  flushed.  "Did  I  understand  you 
aright,  Beatrice?     Such  a  jest " 

"  I  am  not  jesting.  It  is  '  to  be  or  not  to  be'  for  us 
both.  Stay  !  Please  let  me  speak.  I  have  cost  you 
too  dear,  Constantin,  for  I  have  cost  you  your  son. 
Why  do  jou  start?  Do  you  suppose  that  I  am  so 
blind  or  so  unsympathetic  as  not  to  know  this  ?  Gen- 
eral, this  grief  has  made  you  old ;  it  eats  at  your 
very  heart  and  undermines  your  health.  But,  dearest 
friend,  we  are  quits,  for  I  sacrificed  to  you  what  was 
dearest  to  me, — my  laurels.  Let  mo  comprise  in  that 
word  everything  that  I  lost, — freedom,  art,  dominion, 
ideal  aims."  She  leaned  back  and  looked  upward,  as 
if  the  room  were  too  confined  for  her. 

General  Treffenbach  had  pushed  back  his  arm-chair 
and  was  gazing  at  hei\  She  must  have  felt  this  look, 
calling  back  her  rebellious  spirit  to  his  side,  to  duty 
and  wifely  submission.  She  gave  a  little  sigh,  and 
after  a  pause  went  on :  "  Can  you  deny  what  I  say  ?" 
Then,  when  he  did  not  answer,  for  pain  and  indig- 
nation paralyzed  his  tongue,  she  continued  in  a  tone 
of  good-tempered  argument :  "  No,  you  cannot  deny 
it, — it  is  just  as  I  say.  Well  then,  let  me  ask  you  if 
it  is  just  or  reasonable  that  husband  and  wife  should 
so  torture  each  other.  Would  it  not  be  fiir  better  in 
such  a  case,  quietly  and  in  all  kindness,  to  sever  the 
tie  that  has  come  to  be  a  galling  chain  ? — to  let  mo 
return  to  the  stage,  and  to  let  your  son  return  to 
you?" 

Then  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  his  bodily  ailments  all 
forgotten.  "  Beatrice !  you  dare  to  propose  this  to 
me  ?    Do  you  forget  that  you  bear  my  name  ?" 

"Ah  ^a!     How  could  I  forgot  it?     I  have  worn  it 


296  VIOLETTA 

like  the  family  diamonds,  and  I  return  it  with  them. 
Do  not  take  so  tragic  a  view  of  the  matter,  mon 
ami" 

"  Pardon  me,  but  I  am  horrified  at  your  proposal. 
Do  you  suppose  for  an  instant  that  I  could  allow  her 
Excellency  the  wife  of  General  von  Treffenbach  to  go 
upon  the  stage?  You  must  entertain  very  extraor- 
dinary views  with  regard  to  your  husband." 

Then  the  Beatrice  began  to  laugh,  and  ah !  she  was 
so  bewitching,  with  her  eyes  sparkling  with  wayward- 
ness and  good-humoured  ridicule !  "  How  unique  you 
are,  my  dear  Constantin!  Do  you  imagine  that  I 
have  any  temptation  to  run  off  with  your  precious 
name  as  with  a  prize  ?  Ah,  I  could  do  nothing  at  all 
with  your  ancient  scutcheon.  For  who  is  her  Excel- 
lency von  Treffenbach  ?  Nobody.  But  ask  all  Europe, 
*  Who  is  Madame  Fouquet  ?'  "  She  had  never,  perhaps, 
been  more  beautiful  than  as  she  said  this  with  a  superb 
toss  of  her  head,  sweeping  past  him  towards  the  win- 
dow, whence  after  a  while  she  asked,  "  "Well,  what  do 
you  think  ?" 

"  I  think,"  he  replied,  in  a  voice  before  the  thunder 
of  which  she  shrank,  "  that  I  am  not  in  the  mood  to 
continue  this  conversation,  and  that  I  now  declare 
once  for  all  that  I  will  neither  consent  to  a  separation, 
nor  allow  my  wife  to  appear  on  a  public  stage.  Have 
I  made  my  meaning  clear?" 

He  stood  beside  the  table,  his  clinched  fist  resting 
upon  it,  the  impersonation  of  indignant  surprise,  of 
inflexible  resolve.  Beatrice  looked  up  at  him  ad- 
miringly :  "  Then  I  can  only  pity  you  and  myself,  both 
victims  of  German  dulness."  And,  with  a  low  courtesy, 
she  left  the  room. 

He  sank  into  an  arm-chair  and   leaned  his  head 


MUTTERINGS  OF  THUNDER  297 

upon  his  hands.  This,  then,  was  the  end,  the  end  of 
his  happiness ;  he  had  sacrificed  everything,  every- 
thing to  her,  and  she  gave  him  nothing. 

Violetta  came  running  into  the  room :  "  Papa  dear, 
it  is  five  o'clock ;  dinner  will  soon  be  served,  and  you 
are  neither  of  you  dressed."  She  fluttered  about  him 
like  a  butterfly,  picked  up  his  coverlet  from  the  floor, 
smoothed  his  hair,  kissed  his  hand,  and  asked  how 
long  she  should  have  to  wait. 

"  Go !  go  I  Leave  mo  alone,  all  of  you  I  You  are 
all  alike." 

"Ah,  you  are  angry  with  poor  mamma,  and  she 
suff'ers  so.     Have  patience  with  her." 

He  smiled  bitterly  and  thrust  her  hand  aside. 

An  hour  afterward  the  little  family  assembled  for 
the  most  silent,  the  most  formal  meal  they  had  ever 
partaken  of  together.  The  general  was  absolutely 
mute.  "Violetta  asked  a  timid  question  now  and  then, 
which  remained  unanswered.  And  her  Excellency's 
wayward  mood  had  given  place  to  profound  lassi- 
tude. 

There  had  been  frequent  discussions  as  to  whether 
or  not  she  should  accept  the  invitation  to  the  marriage 
of  Prince  Joseph.  The  physicians  were  of  opinion 
that  constant  amusement  was  the  best  remedy  for  her 
nervous  ailments,  and  therefore  the  general  had  advised 
her  acceptance  of  it,  although  every  additional  ex- 
pense filled  him  with  dismay.  But  her  Excellency 
had  hitherto  found  it  impossible  to  make  up  her  mind. 
Like  all  nervous  invalids,  exertion  like  that  which 
must  be  made  in  going  to  Dresden  seemed  to-day 
impossible,  and  to-morrow  a  matter  of  course.  Her 
husband's  advice  had  roused  her  antagonism,  and  Vio- 
letta's  adverse  counsel  had  instigated  her  to  take  the 


298  VIOLETTA 

journey.  In  the  morning  she  had  declared  that 
nothing  should  induce  her  to  go  North  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  and  now  as  they  rose  from  table  she 
announced  her  determination  to  go ;  it  would  be  a 
change,  a  distraction. 

The  general  said  not  a  word,  but  went  to  his  room. 
The  ready  tears  appeared  in  Fräulein  Emma's  eyes, 
and  Yioletta  followed  her  father ;  for  the  first  time  in 
these  three  years  the  office  of  mediator  devolved  upon 
her. 

Beatrice,  in  her  drawing-room,  paced  restlessly  to 
and  fro.  At  last  she  went  into  the  next  apartment, 
where  the  lights  were  still  burning  above  the  piano. 
She  drew  near  the  instrument  hesitatingly,  seated  her- 
self upon  the  piano-stool,  and  gently  touched  the  keys ; 
a  low  mellow  chord  rang  out  and  died  away.  She 
withdrew  her  hands,  folded  her  arms  upon  the  piano, 
and  laid  her  head  upon  them  as  if  utterly  exhausted. 

Suddenly  she  heard  a  man's  step  in  her  drawing- 
room  :  it  was  the  general.  She  started  up,  shook  off 
her  weariness,  and  a  ray  of  hope  lit  up  her  eyes.  Had 
he  come  to  agree  to  her  scheme  ?  had  he  perceived  at 
last  that  it  was  but  reasonable  ? 

"  Beatrice  ?"  he  said  inquiringly,  drawing  aside  tho 
portiere. 

"  Here  I  am !"  And  she  came  forward  graciously 
to  meet  him,  adding,  eagerly,  "  What  have  you  to  say 
to  me  ?" 

"  Only  to  ask  you,"  he  replied,  coldly,  "  how  long 
you  intend  to  stay  in  Dresden." 

She  turned  away  disappointed :  "  That  depends ;  a 
few  weeks  perhaps." 

"  I  do  not  wish  you  to  prolong  your  stay  beyond  a 
week." 


MUTTERINGS  OF   THUNDER  299 

"My  lord  commands,"  she  replied,  bowing  after  the 
Oriental  fashion. 

He  seemed  not  to  notice  her  sarcasm.  "  I  cannot 
go  with  you.     Shall  you  take  Yioletta  ?" 

"  If  she  wishes  to  go.  But  I  think  she  would  prefer 
to  take  this  time  for  practising  her  singing." 

"  Then  Carolina  can  go  with  you." 

"  Certainly.     Is  that  all  ?" 

He  looked  at  her  as  if  surprised,  and  turned  away. 
Ho  had  spoken  quietly  and  dictatorially.  General 
Treffenbach  had  at  last  recovered  his  dignity  as  master 
of  his  household,  in  dealing  with  this  capricious  crea- 
ture.    Unfortunately,  it  was  too  late. 

He  left  the  room ;  his  firm  tread  resounded  in  the 
corridor.  What  did  the  echo  of  that  step  speak  of  to 
the  ear  to  which  all  sound  had  a  language?  Determi- 
nation, contempt,  wounded  pride.  The  lion  in  him  was 
aroused,  and  it  was  her  fault. 

Her  head  sank  on  her  breast,  her  smile  faded.  This 
was  the  first  time  that  the  sun  had  gone  down  w^on 
their  wrath. 

She  opened  the  door  and  followed  him,  at  first  un- 
certainly, and  then  more  hastily.  He  had  just  closed 
the  door  of  his  room  after  him,  when  she  opened  it 
again.  The  room  was  dark,  and  she  heard  him  fumb- 
ling for  the  matches.     "  Who's  there  ?"  he  asked. 

"  It  is  I." 

"  Go  away,  mouse ;  you  can  do  no  good." 

"  But  I  can  bid  you  good-night." 

"  Go,  go ;  it  hurts  me  to  hear  your  voice  to-night. 
Good-night." 

A  small  hand  took  the  matches  from  him,  and  two 
arms  were  thrown  about  his  neck,  arms  upon  which 
chains  and  bracelets  jingled  softly,  while  a  delicate 


300  VIOLETTA 

fragrance  of  orange-blossoms  was  wafted  on  the  air. 
This  was  not  Violetta. 

"Beatrice!"  he  exclaimed;  "  what  does  this  mean?" 

"Mean?"  she  cried,  passionately.  "It  means  that 
your  wife  humbles  herself  before  you,  because  she  suf- 
fers wretchedly  beneath  your  anger.  She  comes  to  beg 
for  forgiveness  and  reconciliation,  and  you  ask  what  it 
means." 

"How  was  I  to  know?  You  pained  and  offended 
me  to-day  with  laughing  lips." 

"  Be  kind,  Constantin.  Forgive  me.  I  cannot  live 
in  discord  and  strife,  least  of  all  with  you." 

Could  he  only  have  maintained  his  calm  self-posses- 
sion, had  he  only  known  how  to  deal  with  this  strange 
character,  he  would  have  gone  from  her  and  have  left 
her  standing  there,  after  assuring  her  with  grave  kind- 
liness of  his  forgiveness. 

But  who  could  find  it  in  his  heart  to  act  thus? 
His  Excellency  could  not.  He  descended  immediately 
from  his  respect-compelling  heights  and  was  again  a 
slave. 

When  tea  was  announced,  and  Fräulein  Emma  had 
got  a  fresh  pocket-handkerchief  ready  for  probable 
tears,  while  Yioletta  looked  quite  melancholy,  his  Ex- 
cellency appeared  with  his  wife  on  his  arm  as  usual, 
smiling  like  a  radiant,  beneficent  Jove, — poor  captive 
man! 

He  atoned  for  his  taciturnity  at  dinner,  talking 
much  and  in  the  best  of  humours,  paying  her  Excel- 
lency no  end  of  little  attentions.  It  was  like  a  new 
honeymoon.  The  brightest  sunshine  had  followed  the 
tempest. 

And  Beatrice  ?  She  smiled  a  great  deal  and  yawned 
a  little.     This  capricious  creature  really  did  not  know 


A  DEPARTURE  301 

what  she  wanted.  Of  course  it  was  pleasanter  and 
more  peaceful  to  be  reconciled  to  him ;  but  he  was 
decidedly  more  interesting  in  his  anger. 


CHAPTEE    XXYII 

A   DEPARTURE 

About  a  week  later,  Sir  George,  who  had  been  absent 
for  some  days,  arranging  for  one  of  his  restless  wan- 
derings across  the  sea,  appeared,  unannounced  as  usual, 
in  her  Excellency's  drawing-room  one  evening  when 
a  lively  company  was  grouped  about  the  mistress  of 
the  mansion.  The  apartment  was  brilliantly  illumi- 
nated. He  retreated,  and  would  have  retired,  but  it 
was  too  late  ;  he  had  been  recognized,  and  was  greeted 
with  enthusiasm. 

Her  Excellency  von  Treffenbach  was  this  evening 
entertaining,  at  tea  in  her  villa,  her  Milan  friends 
who  had  given  her  so  cordial  a  reception.  His  Excel- 
lency was  not  present :  he  was  indisposed. 

Sir  George,  finding  retreat  impossible,  submitted  to 
be  placed  in  the  easiest  of  arm-chairs,  and  to  have 
Yioletta  hand  him  a  cup  of  tea  from  Fräulein  Emma's 
tea-table.  He  looked  haggard  and  worn,  even  more 
so  than  usual ;  but  he  plunged  instantly  into  the  con- 
versation, which  was,  of  course,  regarding  matters  of 
art, — histrionic,  operatic,  and  otherwise. 

This  evening  was  like  one  in  *  the  old  times ;'  that 
is,  when  five  years  previously  an  animated  circle  of 
friends  were  wont  to  assemble  in  Madame  Fouquet's 

20 


302  VIOLETTA 

rooms  and  pass  an  hour  or  two  in  lively  talk.  The 
freedom  that  had  reigned  there  then  had  never  de- 
generated to  license ;  the  Beatrice  had  always  held 
the  reins  in  a  firm  grasp.  She  ruled  the  hour,  and 
what  hours  they  were !  Learned  men  from  abroad, 
poets,  actors,  singers,  were  welcomed  as  brothers. 
There  were  always  adventures  to  relate,  food  for 
laughter,  and  sometimes  for  tears.  For  where  is  there 
such  light  and  shade,  such  change  from  loftiest  splen- 
dour to  deepest  misery,  such  close  contrast  of  lofty 
aspirations  and  careless  frivolity,  as  in  lives  devoted 
to  art  ? 

And  to-night  was  an  echo  of  those  old  days,  only 
the  gayety  of  the  mistress  of  the  mansion  seemed 
somewhat  forced  and  feverish.  Her  eyes  shone  with 
an  unnatural  brightness,  her  cheeks  were  burning; 
still,  she  was  gracious  as  ever,  and  none  noticed  any 
change  in  her  save  Sir  George,  who,  while  she  talked, 
watched  her  narrowly  without  seeming  to  do  so,  and 
who  suspected  in  her  laughter  the  despair  which 
would  rather  laugh  than  weep. 

This  mood  of  hers  touched  a  sympathetic  chord  in 
his  own  nature.  Nevertheless,  he  turned  with  a  sense 
of  relief  to  Yioletta,  who,  dressed  in  white,  with  roses 
in  her  hair,  looked  the  lovely  personification  of  a 
morning  in  May.  She  sang,  and  every  one  fell  into 
an  ecstasy ;  the  ladies  kissed  her  and  petted  her  like 
a  child,  while  the  men  did  homage  to  her  as  to  a  future 
queen. 

"It  is  a  sin  to  bury  that  voice,"  said  Carlo  Ferrati, 
a  relative  of  Herr  Contelli's.  "  Must  we  lose  Violetta 
Fouquet  as  well  as  Madame  Fouquet  ?  How  have  we 
merited  this  double  death-blow  ?  It  is  cruelty  to  your 
native  country,  Signorina  Violetta." 


A   DEPARTURE  303 

He  spoke  with  the  exaggerated  expression,  the  pas- 
ßioBato  eagerness  of  a  genuine  Italian.  Violetta's  gay 
glance  passed  him  by  to  rest  upon  the  pictures,  the 
bronzes,  the  myriad  objects  of  value  and  luxury  brought 
from  Berlin,  all  so  familiar  to  her  for  the  last  three 
years,  all  helping  to  make  a  home  about  her,  and  she 
was  aware  of  a  sensation  of  triumphant  enjoyTnent. 
She  became  suddenly  conscious  of  how  safe  and  how 
sheltered  she  was,  of  the  protection  of  a  father's  house, 
and  of  the  difference  between  the  world  and  the  pub- 
lic seen  from  the  windows  of  this  home  and  those  be- 
held from  that  gilded  pillory  called  the  stage. 

"Ah,  my  good  Signor  Ferrati,"  she  exclaimed,  and 
there  was  an  exultant  ring  in  her  voice,  "  of  all  imagin- 
able impossibilities,  there  is  none,  thank  heaven !  so 
great  as  the  appearance  of  Violotta  Fouquet  on  the 
boards  of  a  theatre." 

Gradually  the  guests  departed,  and  only  two  people 
were  left  at  last  in  the  brilliantly  lighted  room, — the 
hostess  and  Sir  George.  As  the  door  closed  after 
the  last  of  the  guests,  her  Excellency  sank  as  if  ex- 
hausted into  an  arm-chair,  and  leaned  her  head  upon 
her  hand.  The  light  in  her  eyes  faded,  the  colour  on 
her  cheek  vanished,  giving  place  to  an  ashy  pallor, 
and  utter  weariness  seemed  to  overpower  body  and 
soul  alike. 

"Well,  Madame  Beatrice,"  said  Sir  George,  planting 
himself  in  front  of  her,  "  the  comedy  of  Life  seems  ir- 
revocably ended  for  you,  too.    What  does  this  mean  ?" 

She  sat  erect  and  looked  at  him  half  angrily,  half 
in  entreaty.  "  Ah,  Sir  George,  for  God's  sake  do  not 
stand  there  so  unfeeling,  so  ready  to  laugh  at  my 
misery !" 

"And  what  better  do  you  deserve  ?"  he  said,  roughly. 


304  VIOLETTA 

She  did  not  resent  even  this.  "  Ah,  help  me !  Do  you 
see  any  way  of  rescue  for  me  ?  Eveiy  fibre  of  me  rebels 
against  the  lingering  death  to  which  I  am  condemned. 
A  thousand  voices,"  she  went  on,  passionately,  "are 
calling  me  home, — to  the  home  of  my  mind,  my  soul. 
Yes,  Sir  George,  I  am  homesick.  I  am  dying  of  home- 
sickness, and  no  one — no  one  can  comprehend  it.  My 
own  daughter,  a  child  of  the  stage,  has  no  conception 
of  my  nature.  My  husband  sacrifices  the  happiness 
of  my  life  to  the  phantom  that  he  calls  the  honour 
of  his  name,  my  friends  stand  aloof  from  me,  and 
with  this  burning  heart  and  brain  I  am  alone,  alone  1 
Is  what  I  ask  a  sin,  a  crime  ?    Do  we  not  pray  for 

*  daily  bread'  ?  What  does  that  mean  ?  It  means  that 
which  is  necessary  for  our  existence,  and  that  is 
what  I  ask.  Ah,  old  friend,  you  once  rescued  me 
from  the  wretched  slavery  of  my  childhood  and  placed 
me  in  my  element.  I  can  never  forget  it.  My  grati- 
tude, my  devotion  to  you  for  your  goodness  to  me  can 
end  only  with  my  life.  Break  the  chains  for  me  which 
in  a  moment  of  delusion  I  forged  for  myself.  You  see 
my  pride  is  broken.  I  am  weak,  ill,  spiritless.  I  can 
no  more, — all  I  ask  is  to  live !" 

"  Oh,  shame !"  he  said,  sternly.  "  Is  this  your  love  ? 
Who  once  annihilated  my  remonstrances  by  the  words, 

*  I  love  him'  ?  Was  that  Beatrice?  Did  she  lie  then, 
or  has  her  love  grown  cold  ?  Grown  cold  1  Pitiable, 
wretched,  disgraceful !" 

Her  eyes  flashed  again :  "  No,  no.  Sir  George ;  do 
not  insult  me.  I  love  him  now  as  on  the  day  when 
I  sacrificed  my  career  to  him.  Does  not  every  day 
renew  the  memory  of  that  sacrifice?  But  love  alone 
does  not  sufiice  me,  cannot  fill  my  heart,  or  my  life. 
I  answer  you  from  your  own  lips, — a  Beatrice  was 


A  DEPARTURE  305 

not  made  for  a  man's  plaything.  Ah,  you  were  right, 
Sir  George.  I  thirst  for  other  joys,  after  higher  aims 
than  any  love  can  offer.     Ah,  pity  me,  help  me !" 

And  she  sank  on  her  knees  before  him  and  seized 
his  hand. 

"  Take  care,  Beatrice,  take  care ;  there  is  such  a 
soft  spot  in  this  old  heart  of  mine  for  the  little  Betty 
of  long  years  ago  that  you  might  perhaps  prevail  with 
me  to  carry  you  across  the  seas  with  me  now  as  I  sent 
you  across  them  then;  and  it  would  be  your  ruin, 
child.  You  have  renounced  the  world  where  you 
could  have  reigned  a  queen,  learn  now  to  renounce 
yourself;  it  is  your  only  hope.  This  life,  thank  God, 
cannot  last  forever.  If  I  stay  in  Como  over  the  mor- 
row I  will  see  you  again,  but  perhaps  it  would  be  best 
not.  If  I  seem  harsh,  Betty,  it  is  because  I  think  you 
need  a  sharp  remedy.  Good-night,  and  go  to  your 
husband,  child."  He  gently  raised  her  and  led  her 
to  her  couch,  then  turned  and  left  her.  Was  this  to 
be  the  end  of  the  life  he  had  thought  to  save  ? 

She  sat  motionless,  her  hands  folded  in  her  lap,  her 
gaze  riveted  on  the  polished  floor,  and  a  fierce  conflict 
going  on  within  her. 

At  last  the  servants  came  in  to  extinguish  the 
lights.  Beatrice  arose  slowly  and  went  to  her  writing- 
table.  "  I  have  a  note  to  write,  Carolina,"  she  said. 
"  Are  the  trunks  packed  ?" 

"  Yes,  your  Excellency." 

"We  shall  start  to-morrow  evening,  Carolina;  do 
not  forget  my  furs.     It  will  be  cold  in — Dresden." 

And  then  she  wrote  to  the  Princess  Menardi  : 

"Forgive  me,  dear  friend,  if  after  all  these  weeks  of 
uncertainty  I  do  not  come  to  you.     There  are  a  thou- 
u  26* 


306  VIOLETTA 

sand  reasons  why  I  cannot.  Please  do  not  scold  me 
until  you  hear  my  defence,  which  you  shall  most  as- 
suredly before  long. 

"  Yours,  Beatrice." 

She  addressed  and  sealed  this  note  carefully,  and 
then  began  to  write  again  with  feverish  haste,  often 
stopping  to  wipe  away  her  tears.  This  letter  she  en- 
closed in  such  thick  paper  that  it  made  a  small  packet, 
which  she  sealed  but  did  not  address.  Then  she  arose 
and  went  very  softly  to  the  general's  room ;  she  wished 
to  see  whether  he  were  really  suffering,  or  whether  he 
had  only  pleaded  indisposition  to  avoid  meeting  her 
guests. 

He  was  still  up,  although  the  clock  had  just  struck 
one.  There  he  sat  at  the  table  upon  which  was  tho 
map  of  Brazil,  his  head  leaning  on  his  left  hand  and 
a  pair  of  compasses  in  his  right.  He  was  very  pale ; 
the  fine  features  looked  drawn,  his  hand  moved  wea- 
rily, and  he  was  so  absorbed  in  thought  that  at  first  he 
did  not  hear  her.  When  he  did  he  rose  hastily.  "  So 
,late  ?"  he  asked,  glancing  at  the  clock. 

'*  Are  you  angry  with  me  ?"  she  asked. 

"  That  can  never  be  again." 

"Never?" 

"  Never." 

This  word  sufficed  to  make  her  forget  in  an  instant 
all  that  she  had  just  suffered.  Eemorse  and  self- 
abasement  overpowered  her;  she  threw  herself  upon 
his  breast  and  wept;  she  seized  his  hand,  and,  be- 
fore he  could  prevent  it,  covered  it  with  kisses,  and 
then  looking  up  to  him,  whispered,  "Ah,  Constantin, 
how  great,  how  good,  how  strong  you  are  I  You  suffer 
without  a  moan  ;  you  euduro  silently  the  consequences 


A  DEPARTURE  307 

of  your  deeds.  Your  hair  grows  gray,  your  hand  loses 
its  power,  but  you  utter  no  word;  you  never  think 
of  coward  flight ;  you  bear  your  fate  like  a  hero ;  it 
never  even  occurs  to  you  to  shake  off  the  creature  who 
has  caused  you  all  this  misery." 

She  spoke  so  quickly,  so  low,  so  passionately,  that 
he  only  half  understood  her.  "  You  know,  Beatrice," 
he  said,  passing  his  hand  caressingly  over  her  dark 
curls,  "  that  your  love  compensates  me  for  all  that  I 
may  have  lost.  But,  my  darling,  you  are  feverish : 
your  hands  burn;  you  have  over-exerted  yourself; 
and  you  begin  your  journey  to-morrow  ?" 

"  No !"  she  said,  and  hurried  back  to  her  room,  where 
she  burned  everything  she  had  written. 

It  was  then  half-past  one.  Her  repentant  mood 
lasted  precisely  twelve  hours.  At  half-past  one  the 
next  day  she  wrote  both  letters  again,  and  when  she 
had  finished  them  she  went  to  her  husband,  and  said, 
in  a  firm  voice,  "  Constantin,  I  am  going  to  start  this 
evening,  after  all.  You  know  how  vacillating  I  am, 
but  now  my  mind  is  made  up." 

What  had  given  firmness  to  her  resolution  was  the 
thought,  conceived  during  this  sleepless  night,  that 
she  desired  only  her  husband's  best  good.  It  was  a 
very  happy  idea,  and  sti-engthened  her  nerves  wondei-- 
fully,  for  it  lent  to  her  wrong-doing  the  halo  of  a  gener- 
ous self-sacrifice. 

And  so  while  Friedrich  was  superintending  the 
transportation  of  her  Excellency's  trunks  to  the  rail- 
way station,  and  Violetta  was  loading  her  mother 
with  loving  attentions,  she  was  going  hither  and 
thither  in  her  rooms,  arranging,  shutting  up,  oversee- 
ing. Tom,  on  his  gilded  perch,  watched  his  mistress 
for  some  time  in  silence,  then  burst  into  shrill  laughter, 


308  VIOLETTA 

and,  suspending  himself  head  downward,   screamed, 
'  Pity  me ;  help  me  1' 

The  Beatrice,  startled,  threw  a  handkerchief  at  the 
bird  to  silence  him. 

Fräulein  Emma  entered  the  room  to  ask  if  she  could 
in  any  way  assist  her  Excellency. 

Beatrice  took  from  her  pocket  a  little  parcel,  which 
she  handed  to  her  with  a  trembling  hand :  "  Yioletta 
is  apt  to  forget,  Emma,  but  I  can  depend  upon  you. 
In  a  week  my  husband's  birthday  occurs ;  I  shall  not 
be  back  by  that  time,  but  I  wish  him  to  have  a  little 
present  from  me  on  that  day.  Please  give  him  this 
parcel,  sealed  just  as  it  is." 

"  Your  Excellency  may  rely  upon  me,"  said  the  old 
Fräulein,  and  she  hurried  away  to  place  this  charming 
little  gift  in  security.  What  could  it  be?  A  cigar- 
case  ?     A  photograph  ? 

In  the  evening  the  general  himself,  although  this 
had  been  one  of  his  bad  days  and  he  could  hardly 
walk,  accompanied  his  wife  to  the  railway  station. 
The  route  she  was  to  take  lay  through  Verona, 
Innsbruck,  and  Munich.  While  her  husband  was  pur- 
chasing her  tickets,  Beatrice  slipped  a  note  into  the 
post-box ;  it  was  the  one  she  had  written  to  the 
Princess  Menardi  telling  her  that  she  could  not  come 
to  her.  There  were  many  friends  and  acquaintances 
to  stand  about  the  carriage  door  at  the  last  moment ; 
Carolina  took  charge  of  a  large  number  of  bouquets. 
The  bell  rang  for  departure,  and  every  one  took  leave 
of  the  traveller.  She  had  a  kind  and  merry  word  for 
all ;  she  embraced  Violetta  tenderly,  still  smiling  ; 
last  of  all  came  the  general.  He  kissed  her  hands 
and  wished  her  a  happy  trip.  Beatrice  rarely  sinned 
against  good  taste,  but  now  her  principles  in  this  re- 


A  BIRTHDAY  GIFT  309 

spect  seemed  utterly  to  forsake  her.  Trembling  from 
head  to  foot,  scarcely  mistress  of  herself,  she  clasped 
her  arms  about  her  husband's  neck  as  he  was  about  to 
leave  her,  and  had  he  not  himself  unclasped  them  the 
train  would  have  gone  without  her.  But  it  bore  her 
away,  and  went  steaming  out  into  the  dark  night,  puf- 
fing like  some  scaly  prehistoric  monster ;  while  from 
the  window  of  one  of  the  brightly-lighted  coupes 
leaned  a  woman,  who  had  unwrapped  the  white  veil 
from  her  head  to  wave  it — wave  it  until  the  long  train 
vanished  beneath  the  stars. 


CHAPTEE    XXVIII 


A   BIRTHDAY   GIFT 

"  To  be  given  to  my  husband  on  his  birthday. 

"First  of  all,  Constantin,  grant  me  your  forgiveness, 
and  accept  from  me  the  assurance  of  my  unalterable 
affection. 

"  Your  forgiveness,  because  I  take  forcible  possession 
of  the  freedom  which  you  deny  me.  I  know  by  what 
name  this  act  of  mine  will  be  called,  I  know  that  the 
vow  taken  at  the  altar  enforces  slavish  obedience,  but, 
ah !  a  Beatrice  Fouquet  is  not  as  other  women  are ! 
Heartless,  do  you  say?  Oh,  no,  Constantin.  Did  you 
not  divine  the  pain  that  tortured  me  when  last  I  laid 
my  head  upon  your  breast  and  whispered  farewell  ? 
It  came  from  the  conflict  between  my  love  and  that 


310  VIOLETT  A 

mysterious  force  which  drags  me  back  to  the  sphere 
to  which  I  belong,  and  outside  of  which  I  cannot 
live. 

"  Love  is  strong,  but  life  is  stronger  j  I  can  find  no 
other  name  for  this  force.  I  am  incapable  of  the  heroic 
endurance  which  alone  could  enable  me  slowly  to  fade 
away  without  an  effort.  I  must  save  myself,  and  you  I 
Yes,  this  act  of  mine  will  bring  you,  too,  relief,  and 
hereafter  joy,  and  this  thought  consoles  me. 

"  If  Violetta  should  wish  to  follow  me,  tell  her  that 
I  expect  her,  and  that  my  longing  for  her  is  scarcely 
less  than  my  pain  for  you. 

"  Your  name  I  give  back  to  you.  It  is  Beatrice  Fou- 
quet  who,  when  you  read  these  lines,  is  on  her  way  to 
New  York.  Do  not  be  shocked,  but  rather  rejoice 
that  she  has  enough  consideration  for  your  family  to 
prevent  her  from  making  Europe  the  theatre  of  her 
triumphs.  New  York!  It  still  looks  foreign,  cold, 
and  dark  in  my  thoughts,  but,  as  I  told  you,  I  am  capa- 
ble of  a  lofty  resolve.  And  I  do  not  wish  to  veil  in 
mystery  either  the  place  of  my  destination  or  my 
manner  of  reaching  it. 

"  I  learned  that  the  steamer  '  Yalparaiso'  was  the 
vessel  chosen  by  Sir  George  O'Halloran  for  his  voyage 
to  America,  and  although  he  knows  nothing  as  yet  of 
my  plans,  he  will  find  me  among  his  fellow-i^assengers 
when  the  '  Valparaiso'  has  left  the  harbour. 

"  What  will  you  do  ?  Pursue  me  with  the  terror  of 
the  law  ?  Shall  I  be  received  by  the  police  in  New 
York  ?  I  am  not  afraid.  The  worst  that  can  happen 
to  me  is  to  be  brought  directly  back  to  you,  and  that 
is  not  terrible. 

"  But  I  conjure  you,  Constantin,  to  let  me  go,  and  I 
swear  to  you  that  I  never  will  disgrace  you.     Good 


A   BIRTHDAY  GIFT  311 

heavens  I    that  a  Beatrice   Fouquet   should   have   to 
write  such  words ! 

"  With  regard  to  Sir  George  I  have  nothing  to  say 
either  in  explanation  or  excuse.  You  know  what  he 
is  to  me,  and  the  world  has  long  known  it. 

"  Beatrice." 

General  Treffenbach  was  alone  in  his  room  when  he 
opened  and  read  this  letter,  his  charming  wife's  birth- 
day gift,  slowly,  slowly,  with  failing  breath  and  swim- 
ming brain,  filled  with  horrible  forebodings,  which 
every  word  transformed  to  dreadful  certainties,  until 
they  overpowered,  overwhelmed  him. 

For  one  moment  he  started  up  and  stood  erect,  in- 
dignant, every  vein  flushed  with  the  vigour  of  youth, 
every  muscle  seeming  of  steel,  and  then, — then  he 
Bank  down  crushed ;  an  icy  coldness,  a  weight  as  of 
lead,  disabled  him ;  his  foot  refused  its  aid,  his  hand 
hung  powerless. 

Thus  the  double  misfortune  had  overtaken  him, 
leaving  him  nothing  save  the  keen  consciousness  of 
his  disgrace  and  of  his  ruined  existence.  Ah,  why 
bad  not  the  wretched  letter  paralyzed  his  brain,  bury- 
ing the  mind  in  kindly  night,  instead  of  striking  down 
the  physical  frame  and  adding  intensity  to  the  mental 
apprehension  ? 

He  lay  there  in  his  arm-chair  motionless,  wellnigh 
forgetting  that  paralysis  fettered  him  thus,  so  ab- 
sorbed was  his  imagination  by  the  image  of  his  tar- 
nished honour.  The  contemptuous  smile  of  envious 
acquaintances,  the  Pharisaical  pity  of  his  friends, 
he  could  endure,  but  how  could  he  survive  his  son's 
knowledge  of  what  had  taken  place  ?  A  deadly  horror 
came  over  him.     He  tried  to  call,  but  the  words  issued 


312  VIOLETTA 

from  his  lips  indistinctly  and  with  difficulty.  At  last 
he  succeeded  in  reaching  with  his  left  hand  the  bell 
upon  the  table,  but  his  arm  shook  and  it  rang  but 
feebly, — loudly  enough,  however,  to  reach  Violetta's 
ear;  she  came  running  into  the  room,  but,  as  she 
approached  him,  stopped  short  in  terror.  Something 
terrible  had  happened  here. 

"  Eead !"  he  gasped  forth  at  last.  She  saw  the  let- 
ter lying  on  the  floor,  picked  it  up,  and  read  it.  For 
some  moments  she  stood  like  one  stunned,  then  she 
threw  herself  on  her  knees  before  him  and  hid  her 
face  in  her  hands.  "  Oh,  my  father !  my  poor,  poor 
father!"  she  cried,  beside  herself. 

"Burn !"  he  said,  slowly,  and  by  a  fearful  effort. 

She  instantly  threw  the  letter  into  the  fire  burning 
on  the  hearth,  and  then  seized  the  bell  and  rang  it 
loudly.  Friedrich  appeared  immediately.  "  The  doc- 
tor!" she  exclaimed,  "and  quickly  as  you  can." 

The  faithful  fellow  cast  one  glance  at  his  master 
and  rushed  away  for  help.  But  Violetta  kneeled  be- 
side the  tortured  man,  and,  suppressing  her  tears  and 
forcing  herself  to  speak  encouragingly,  whispered,  "  It 
is  an  attack,  papa  dear,  that  will  surely  pass  away, — 
surely,  surely." 

He  made  another  superhuman  effort  to  speak. 
"Nothing— Brazil!" 

"  Oh,  do  not  try  to  talk.  I  know  what  you  would  say. 
Your  son  shall  not  be  written  to.  He  would  only  be 
anxious,  and  in  the  mean  while  you  would  be  so  much 
better.  No,  no,  we  will  not  write.  You  must  soon  be 
better.  Oh,  why  does  not  Friedrich  come  with  the 
doctor!" 

At  last  they  came, — the  physician,  the  servant,  and 
Fräulein  Emma,  the  last  half  dead  with  fright.     But 


A   BIRTHDAY   GIFT  313 

what  could  they  do  ?  The  physician  could  merely  say 
"what  Violetta  already  knew, — that  a  stroke  had  par- 
alyzed the  right  side ;  but  he  declared  himself  quite 
confident  that  the  general  would  in  time  recover  his 
power  of  speech.  "  As  soon  as  the  weather  permits, 
he  must  go  to  Teplitz.  Perhaps  that  will  be  of  ser- 
vice." The  words  came  so  hesitatingly  that  hope 
faded  in  the  minds  of  all.  The  doctor  also  advised 
telegraphing  for  his  Excellency's  wife. 

At  these  words  the  hand  of  the  patient  twitched 
and  his  features  worked  spasmodically.  "  First  of  all, 
I  will  get  you  a  competent  nurse,"  the  doctor  said,  as 
he  took  his  leave ;  "  a  man  who  understands  such 
cases,  and  who  will  bring  you  a  wheeled  chair  and 
a  galvanic  battery." 

He  went,  and  Yioletta  was  left  alone  with  poor, 
helpless  Fräulein  Emma  and  the  simple,  inexperienced 
Friedrich,  who  could  not  restrain  his  sobs.  The  bur- 
den of  life  was  weighing  more  and  more  heavily  upon 
the  delicate  shoulders ;  ah,  where  should  she  find 
help?  When  the  doctor  came  again  with  the  nurse, 
she  ran  to  her  own  little  bedroom  and  locked  herself 
in. 

An  hour  afterwards  she  appeared  again  in  the  gen- 
eral's study.  The  doctor  and  nurse  had  done  all  that 
they  could  to  alleviate  his  Excellency's  condition,  but 
in  vain.  He  was  now  seated  in  the  wheeled  chair  by 
the  window,  his  body  absolutely  motionless,  his  mind 
filled  with  torturing  thoughts. 

Violetta  took  her  place  beside  him,  kissed  his  brow, 
and  stroked  back  his  gray  hair.  "  Whore  were  you  ?" 
he  asked  slowly,  but  more  distinctly  than  before. 

"Ah,  papa  dear,  I  have  been  praying.  Forgive  me 
for  selfishly  leaving  you  for  so  long,  but — but  I  felt  as 
o  27 


314  VIOLETT  A 

if  I  must  die  else.  I  will  not  do  it  a<:^ain.  You  shall 
not  miss  me.     I  can  pray  here  as  well." 

"My  poor  child  I" 

"  Oh,  do  not  say  that!  How  could  I  complain  ?  I 
am  strong  and  well,  and  I  may  stay  with  you." 

"  But  the  future  ?" 

"  We  will  not  think  of  that,  papa.  It  will  be  a  great 
deal  better  than  you  think." 

"  Violotta,  I  have — nothing  left." 

Ah,  to  be  besieged  by  such  cai'es  at  such  a  moment  I 
Were  illness  and  misery  not  enough  ? 

In  the  course  of  the  next  few  days  '  such  cares' 
pressed  closely  and  persistently  upon  her  young  life. 
She  learned  to  know  them  well.  The  first  of  the 
month  was  at  hand.  Innumerable  bills  were  sent  in ; 
butcher,  baker,  tradespeople,  all  presented  their  claims ; 
the  landlord  demanded  the  month's  rent  for  the  villa. 
Violetta  was  shocked  and  distressed.  Should  she  ap- 
ply to  the  general  ?  There  was,  alas !  nothing  else  to 
be  done.  When  she  entered  his  room  he  was  sitting 
in  his  wheeled  chair  at  his  writing-table.  "With  his 
left  hand  he  was  taking  various  papers  out  of  a  drawer. 
A  little  man  of  Jewish  appearance  stood  beside  him 
deliberately  counting  a  pile  of  bank-notes  upon  the 
table.  He  received  from  the  general  a  paper  with  a 
few  written  lines  upon  it,  which  he  examined  care- 
fully and  then  folded  and  put  into  an  old  leathern 
pocket-book ;  after  which,  with  many  low  bows,  he 
withdrew.  Violetta  approached  her  father's  table 
and  laid  the  tradesmen's  bills  upon  it. 

"  Take  those,"  said  the  invalid,  with  a  motion  of  hi& 
left  hand  towards  the  bank-notes. 

"  Oh,  papa !  who  was  that  man  ?" 

"  A  money-lender." 


A    BIRTHDAY  GIFT  315 

She  had  a  vague  fancy  that  such  people  were  the 
harbingers  of  misfortune.  ,  "  Must  it  be  ?  But  your 
pension  ?" 

"  It  is  gone  already, — for  this  year." 

Violetta  sat  down  and  gazed  at  the  bank-notes.  It 
cost  her  a  struggle  to  touch  the  money,  but  what  else 
could  she  do?  "What  was  to  be  done  in  the  future? 
That  same  little  man  would  come  one  day  to  demand 
everything  and  to  receive  nothing.  Then  all  the  pic- 
tures and  articles  of  value  would  have  to  be  sold,  and 
there  might  be  an  interval  of  calm.  But  he  would 
come  again,  and  the  furniture  would  have  to  go  too. 
And  the  physician  had  said  that  he  must  go  to 
Teplitz ! 

Meanwhile,  she  could  see  but  one  way  out  of  all  this 
misery.  Involuntainly  her  lips  formed  the  words, 
"  Ah,  if  Magnus  only  knew  I'*  But  the  sick  man's  eyes 
fairly  flashed,  and  there  was  the  old  ring  of  command 
in  his  voice  as  he  said,  "  What !  go  begging  to  my  son 
after  what — your  mother  has  done?  Never!  never! 
Not  a  word  to  him  of  all  this." 

That  night  Yioletta  never  closed  her  eyes,  so  tor- 
tured was  she  by  distressing  thoughts.  Slowly  ad- 
vancing upon  her  she  saw  in  imagination  a  grim 
inexorable  necessity.  Step  by  step  it  drew  near, 
gaining  force  as  it  came,  and  filling  her  with  dread. 
But  when  she  arose  the  next  morning  and  made  her 
appearance  in  the  general's  room,  having  vainly  tried 
to  recall  the  roses  to  her  pale  cheeks,  her  sweet  face 
wore  an  expression  of  gentle  resolve  that  became  it 
well.  She  devoted  to  him  the  long  day  which  no  bril- 
liancy of  skies,  no  ripj)ling  beauty  of  the  lake,  could 
ÜOW  brighten. 

Fräulein  Emma  and  Friedrich  had   hitherto  been 


316  VIOL  ETTA 

ignorant  why  her  Excellency,  the  general's  wife,  in 
spite  of  the  illness  of  her  husband,  had  given  no  sign 
of  returning  to  her  home.  Every  day  made  inform- 
ing them  of  the  truth  more  difScult,  and  at  the  same 
time  more  necessary.  Violetta  was  to  perform  this 
task,  and  she  shrank  from  it. 

One  day  she  received  a  sympathetic  little  note  from 
Frau  Contelli.  The  good  little  lady  wrote  that  she 
had  long  had  it  in  contemplation  to  write  to  the  Bira- 
bina  in  her  mother's  absence  and  to  ask  her  if  she 
would  not  bestow  a  day  upon  her  old  friend.  His  Ex- 
cellency would  surely  allow  her  to  do  so.  If  a  ser- 
vant would  see  her  put  into  the  railway-coupe,  Papa 
Contelli  would  receive  her  in  Milan,  and  the  entire 
household  would  keep  high  holiday  on  that  day. 

The  general  was  somewhat  surprised  when  Yioletta 
declared  that  she  would  like  to  accept  the  invita- 
tion, but  he  consented.  '  The  child  really  needs  some 
recreation.  She  looks  like  transparent  wax,'  he 
thought. 

It  was  a  strange  'recreation,'  however,  that  Vio- 
letta was  minded  to  take.  She  went  to  Milan  the 
next  morning  by  the  earliest  train,  without  sending 
the  previous  telegraph  for  which  the  Contellis  had 
asked.  She  feared  their  inviting  guests  to  meet  her, 
and  she  wished  to  be  alone  with  them.  So  she  arrived 
unnoticed,  and  took  her  way  on  foot  to  their  house, 
along  the  streets  of  the  town  where  she  had  passed 
the  happiest  years  of  her  childhood. 

The  Contellis  inhabited  a  modest  but  very  pleasant 
dwelling,  and  Frau  Lucia  had  just  said  to  her  hus- 
band, "And  no  despatch  from  the  Bimbina?"  when 
the  door  opened  and  Violetta  entered  the  pretty 
drawing-room. 


A   BIRTHDAY  GIFT  317 

There  was  no  end  to  the  exclamations  and  rejoicings. 
What  a  surprise !  "  Oh,  heavens  !  Has  the  fairy  run 
away  from  her  step-father  ?  But,  holy  saints  above, 
how  pale  she  looks !  Is  she  ill  ?  Does  she  feel  faint  ? 
"What  has  happened  ?" 

For  Yioletta,  overpowered  by  the  exuberance  of  the 
welcome  she  received,  had  sunk  into  a  chair,  and  could 
only  stammer,  "  Oh,  do  not  ask  me  to-day !  I  have  a 
great  favour  to  beg  of  you,  and  that  is  why  I  came. 
You  will  be  so  surprised;  but  I  have  changed  my 
mind.     I — I — want  to  sing  in  opera." 

Signora  Lucia  clasped  her  plumj)  little  hands  above 
her  head  in  speechless  amazement. 

"You  see,"  Violetta  went  on,  recovering  her  self- 
possession,  "  I  was  very,  very  silly,  but  now  I  have 
become  sensible.  It  would  be  a  great  pity  not  to  use 
my  voice.  And  Papa  Contelli  has  so  much  influence, 
eh?"  The  last  words  were  spoken  with  almost  her 
old  gayety. 

"  Santa  Madonna !"  Signora  Lucia  burst  forth. 
"  What  does  this  mean  ?  Beatrice's  daughter  comes 
to  us  for  our  influence.  Beatrice's  daughter  !  What 
has  happened?     Oh,  tell  us! — quick!  quick!" 

"  I  cannot,"  sighed  Yioletta,  "  I  am  so  tired,  so 
tired." 

The  pair  looked  at  each  other,  completely  puzzled. 
What  did  it  mean  ?  How  had  the  child  come  to  this 
determination  in  her  mother's  absence?  Signora 
Lucia  whispered  at  last,  "  Pietro,  she  has  an  unhappy 
love-affair.  Girls  always  want  to  do  something  des- 
perate when  they  have  that." 

The  shadow  of  a  smile  appeared  upon  Violetta'a 
pale  face,  to  fade  instantly.  "  Oh,  do  not  bo  surprised, 
■ — liclpmc!"  she  bogged. 


318  VIOLETTA 

"  But  what  shall  wo  do  ?"  both  cried  in  a  breath, — 
"  we,  we  ?  As  if  it  were  necessary  for  Violetta  Fou- 
quet  to  do  anything  except  to  go  to  the  management 
and  say,  'Here  I  am!'  " 

"  But  there  is  a  greater  obstacle." 

"  What  ?    What  is  it  ?" 

"  My  father." 

Again  the  little  couple  gazed  helplessly  at  each 
other. 

"You  see,  he  never  would  give  his  consent  if  I 
should  ask  him.  But  I  came  to  tell  you  that  you 
must  come,  and  must  tell  him  that  it  is  my  calling, 
my  vocation, — that  my  voice  is  fine,  that  my  whole 
future  will  be  brilliant  and  luxurious  if  I  sing  in 
opera.  You  must  say  this  over  and  over  again.  You 
must  tell  him  that  you  will  be  my  parents,  that  you 
will  take  care  of  me  as  you  once  took  care  of  mamma. 
Oh,"  she  implored,  raising  her  clasped  hands,  "  God 
will  reward  you  if  you  do  this  for  me !" 


CHAPTEE  XXIX 

GONE   FOREVER 

Violetta  had  long  been  accustomed  to  read  the 
daily  papers  to  her  step-father.  This  was  now  the 
only  bridge  between  his  present  existence  and  his 
former  interests  and  acquaintances.  If  he  wished  to 
be  forgotten,  he  did  not  wish  to  forget,  although  he 
was  now  in  a  state  of  such  utter  despair  that  noth 
ing  really  interested  him — not  oven  the  map  of  South 


GONE   FOREVER  319 

America,  upon  which  a  thin  layer  of  dust  had  col- 
lected. He  had  but  one  desire, — that  death  might 
release  him  before  his  son  should  learn  through  others 
what  had  happened;  before  that  name  which  would 
reveal  all  should  appear  in  the  American  newspapers. 
A  kind  of  rage  possessed  him  each  morning  as  he 
woke  to  the  consciousness  of  the  tenacious  vitality 
of  his  physical  frame,  to  the  conviction  that  he  waa 
doomed  to  live  on  with  one  foot  in  the  grave. 

But  if  a  repetition  of  the  stroke — and  such  repe- 
titions are  frequent — should  put  a  sudden  end  to  his 
life,  what  would  become  of  Yioletta?  He  must  pro- 
vide for  having  the  notice  of  his  death  inserted  in  the 
New  York  papers,  that  Beatrice  might  not  delay  an 
instant  in  communicating  with  her  daughter. 

To  be  compelled  to  think  of  all  these  things  was 
like  plunging  the  knife  afresh  into  an  oj)en  wound, 
and  yet  for  the  child's  sake  he  did  it.  But  Death, 
80  ardently  invoked,  would  not  come  to  put  an  end  to 
this  ruined  existence.  He  chooses  his  victims  with 
wanton  waywardness,  turning  aside  fi"om  those  who 
implore  his  kindly  touch,  and  calling  away  those  who 
in  joyous  exuberance  of  life  and  happiness  have  quite 
forgotten  him. 

On  the  day  of  Violetta's  expedition  to  Milan  his 
Excellency,  with  difficulty,  contrived  to  read  the  paper 
himself  He  did  not  wish  to  ask  Emma  to  do  it  for 
him,  and  he  doubted  Friedrich's  capacity,  admirable 
nurse  though  he  had  shown  himself  to  be.  Holdinc: 
the  sheet  in  his  left  hand,  he  began  slowly  to  study  the 
columns  until  his  eye  fell  upon  the  words,  "  Loss  of  the 
Steamship  ^  Valparaiso.^  AVe  would  mention  in  con- 
nection  with  the  catastrophe  of  the  17th  announced 
in  our  columns  to-day,  by  which  so  many  lives  wore 


320  VIOLETTA 

lost,  a  very  improbable  report  that  the  famous  can« 
tatrice,  Beatrice  Fouquet,  was  among  the  passengers, 
and  shared  the  unhappy  fate  of  almost  all  on  board." 

Dead  I  Dead !  He  repeated  the  word  mechanically, 
but  it  was  only  an  empty  sound.  That  blooming  life  ex- 
tinguished, that  lovely  form  sunk  in  the  depths  of  th<» 
ocean  I  She  had  been  but  now  here  beside  him ;  he 
seemed  still  to  feel  the  touch  of  the  white  hand !  The 
voice  whose  melody  had  so  enchanted  him — which 
had  whispered  but  a  few  weeks  ago  that  tearful  '  fare- 
well'— was  now  hushed  forever ! 

Well,  she  had  been  dead  for  him  from  that  moment. 
For  him  there  was  no  Beatrice  Treifenbach.  He  had 
been  a  widower  since  she  left  him.  But  that  first 
death  had  brought  with  it  intense  bitterness, — this 
one  held  concealed  a  blessed  balm,  oblivion!  The 
misery  she  had  caused  him  was  expiated.  He  remem- 
bered only  what  she  had  been  to  him.  He  recalled 
her  image  to  his  side,  looked  into  its  face,  and  said  to 
it,  '  Eemain !' 

When  Yioletta  came  home,  he  called  her  to  him, 
stretched  out  his  left  arm,  drew  her  to  his  heart,  and 
said,  gently,  "  My  darling,  lay  your  head  here ;  tears 
will  come,  but  they  shall  be  shed  on  your  father's 
breast.  I  have  something  very  sad  to  tell  you,  and 
yet  it  is  best  so.  God  has  called  away  your  poor 
mother.     Together  we  will  pray  for  her  soul's  rest." 

Poor  child !  She  could  hardly  grow  any  paler,  and 
she  uttered  no  cry.  She  would  not  distress  him  by 
passionate  lamentations.  He  was  still  her  first 
thought.  Her  first  words  were,  "  Oh,  my  father, 
now  you  will  forgive  her,  and  that  will  do  you 
good." 


GONE  FOREVER  321 

Henceforth  she  devoted  herself  to  him  more  stead- 
fastly than  ever,  but  her  smile  had  faded,  and  her  merry- 
talk  was  hushed,  and  when,  alone  in  her  room  at  night, 
kneeling  at  her  bedside,  she  said  the  prayers  with 
which  from  her  earliest  childhood  she  had  begun  and 
ended  every  day,  she  added  to  the  prescribed  words  fer- 
vent entreaties  for  help  and  strength,  or  she  leaned  her 
head  upon  the  hard  frame  of  the  bed,  murmuring  amid 
her  tears,  "  Oh,  mamma  !  my  poor,  beautiful  mamma  !" 
Still,  even  these  tears  she  would  brush  from  her  eyes, 
whispering  amidst  her  sobs,  "  But  he  is  so  much  calmer, 
and  he  speaks  of  her  so  kindly  now.'' 

The  world  soon  learned  of  the  death  of  the  beauti- 
ful woman ;  where  and  how  it  had  taken  place  re- 
mained for  a  time  shrouded  in  beneficent  uncertainty  ; 
it  was  supposed  b}'-  many  that  she  had  died  in  Ger- 
many. As  soon  as  the  Contellis  heard  of  it  they  has- 
tened to  the  villa,  to  kiss  '  the  poor  Bimbina'  and  to 
prove  their  devotion  by  floods  of  tears. 

At  first  the  general  refused  to  see  '  those  peoj^le,' 
but  Violetta  begged  so  earnestly,  that  for  her  sake  he 
consented  to  allow  them  to  be  shown  into  his  study. 
The  conversation,  carried  on  in  French,  was  at  first 
somewhat  monosyllabic,  but  Signora  Contelli  soon 
began  to  tell  of  Beatrice's  youth,  now  drying  her  tears, 
then  laughing,  and  anon  embracing  Violetta. 

"  Ah,  we  all  loved  her  so.  You  should  see  how  in- 
consolable all  her  friends  are.  No  one  would  believe 
it  at  first." 

When  the  guests  had  left  the  room,  the  general 
remarked,  "  Queer  little  people !" 

"  But  so  faithful,  so  devoted." 

He  looked  at  the  girl  anxiously,  and  reflected  that 
these  Contellis  might  soon  be  Violctta's  only  friends. 


322  VIOL  ETTA 

For  what  would  become — oh,  heavens!  what  would 
become  of  her  if  he  should  die? 

This  anxiety  broiight  the  moisture  to  his  forehead 
whenever  it  occurred  to  him.  lie  could  not  Ignore 
these  people.  He  must  invite  them  to  come  again, 
and  some  time  he  must  commend  Violetta  to  their 
kindly  care.  It  would  be  hard,  but  they  would  of 
their  loyalty  and  love  take  pity  upon  her,  and  he 
should  not  have  to  beg  for  her  of  his  former  friends. 

"  Well,  Bimbina,  my  poor  little  dove,  you  have  given 
up  all  thought  of  the  opera  now,"  said  the  Signora 
Lucia  when  she  was  alone  with  Violetta. 

The  girl  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  made  up  her 
mind  that  it  were  best  to  tell  everything.  The  Signora 
would  then  understand  and  aid  her.  She  must  persist 
in  her  resolve ;  she  could  not  be  deterred  even  by  her 
mourning  for  her  mother. 

"Oh,  my  angel!"  the  little  Signora  said,  when  she 
had  heard  it  all,  stroking  the  poor  pale  cheeks,  and 
with  difficulty  suppressing  her  sobs.  "  I  understand  it 
perfectly  now.  I  will  speak  to  the  general.  I  know 
what  to  say  to  him.  He  will  say  '  yes.'  I  shall  tell 
him  that  your  future  lies  in  your  voice.  He  will  not 
wish  to  destroy  your  future." 

And  Signora  Contelli  had  an  interview  with  the 
general  which  lasted  an  hour.  During  this  time  Signor 
Contelli  made  his  future  protegee  sing  all  kinds  of  diffi- 
cult passages  andßorituri,  that  he  might  judge  calmly 
of  her  method  and  capacity.  He  was  entirely  satis- 
fied as  to  her  success. 

At  last — at  last  the  door  opened,  and  like  a  fairy 
godmother  Signora  Contelli  entered,  saying,  "  He  con- 
sents." 

"  Oh,  my  poor,  poor  papa,"  cried  Violetta ;    "  how 


GONE   FOREVER  323 

he  must  be  suffering!"  And  she  hastened  to  his 
room. 

He  was  sitting  motionless  in  his  wheeled  chair, 
gazing  out  upon  the  lake,  and  the  tears  were  rolling 
down  his  cheeks.  "When  Violetta  kneeled  beside  him 
and  pressed  her  lips  upon  his  hand  he  could  not  speak 
at  first,  and  when  the  words  came  it  was  with  almost 
as  much  effoi't  as  upon  that  first  terrible  day.  "  I 
must — I  must  consent  to  this  horrible  sacrifice,  for  I 
cannot  stand  in  the  way  of  your  good  fortune, — your 
career!  I  must  say  yes,  I  must  let  my  darling  child 
sacrifice  herself,  because  I  am  too  weak  to  help  her." 

In  an  instant  Yioletta's  elasticity  of  spirit  gained 
the  upper  hand.  "  Ah,  papa,  do  not  be  so  melancholy. 
Sacrifice !  Eather  scold  me,  and  say,  '  You  vain,  ambi- 
tious, foolish  creature !  People  have  turned  your  head 
with  their  talk  about  your  angelic  voice ;  and  you  im- 
agine yourself  the  stuff  of  which  famous  singers  are 
made.'  There,  papa,  that  is  the  way  you  would  speak 
if  you  were  a  wise  father." 

JFor  reply  he  slowly  raised  his  hand  and  laid  it  on 
the  girl's  head  as  if  in  blessing. 

From  this  day  Violetta  was  more  and  more  like  her 
own  old  self, — partly  because  her  father  must  not  know 
how  much  she  dreaded  the  stage,  and  partly  because 
Signora  Contelli  had  assured  her  that  with  her  name 
and  her  voice  she  could  soon  earn  many  thousand  lire. 

They  must  leave  this  villa  and  go  to  Milan ;  the 
costly  old  carved  cabinets,  the  damask  furniture,  the 
wonderful  linen,  the  silver,  all  must  be  sold.  The 
outside  form  of  that  which  she  had  thought  of  with 
such  fervent  love  as  her  paternal  home  must  vanish. 
Henceforth  she  would  have  only  a  father's  heart  for 
her  abiding-place  J  but  as  long  as  that  still  beat  sho 


324  VIOL  ETTA 

would  not  complain,  and  as  long  as  her  voice  lasted 
she  would  not  despair.  Her  whole  life,  all  that  she 
could  do,  belonged  henceforth  to  the  man  who  had 
lost  everything  through  her  mother.  And  if  the  debts 
could  only  be  paid  by  her  earnings  in  the  course  of  a 
few  yeai^s ;  if  she  could  arrange  for  his  going  to  be 
cured  in  Teplitz,  should  she  not  be  more  than  repaid  ? 

Meanwhile,  more  exact  intelligence  of  the  loss  of  tho 
steamer  had  been  received,  and  had  spread  far  and  wide. 
The  disaster  had  been  caused  by  a  fire  between-decks, 
and  Beatrice  Fouquet  had  been  drowned,  as  had  also 
the  great  singer's  early  friend  and  benefactor,  Sir 
George  O'Halloran,  whose  munificent  charities  in  Ber- 
lin would  cause  his  name  to  be  cherished  there  al- 
ways. The  news  circulated  like  lightning,  setting  a 
thousand  venomous  tongues  in  motion,  and  the  poor, 
paralyzed  man  knew  himself  the  object  of  universal 
contemptuous  compassion.  But  what  was  this  humil- 
iating consciousness  compared  with  the  task  that  lay 
before  him  of  informing  his  son  of  what  had  occurred  ? 
It  must  be  done  if  he  would  not  have  Magnus  learn 
the  facts  from  strangers.  The  general  laboured  for 
three  whole  days  at  this  letter.  His  j^atient  young 
amanuensis  erased,  added,  rewrote.  Every  word  was 
well  considered ;  and  when  at  last  they  thought  that 
they  had  instructed  him  as  to  their  misfortune  but 
veiled  from  him  their  misery,  Yioletta,  shocked  at 
the  manner  in  which  her  trembling  fingers  had  per- 
formed their  duty,  copied  the  whole  letter  once  more. 
It  was  completed  at  last. 

"You  must  have  heard,  my  dear  Magnus,  of  the 
profound  sorrow  in  which  we  are  plunged.  Death 
has  snatched  away  my  wife.  I  cannot  conceal  from 
you  that  the  circumstances  attending  my  loss  are  so 


GONE   FOREVER  525 

painful  to  me  that  I  find  it  hardly  possible  to  dwell 
upon  them.  Beatrice  had  for  some  time  been  very  far 
from  well,  and  very  unhappy.  She  could  not  control 
her  longing  for  her  former  profession.  I  need  not  tell 
you  how  I  stood  affected  in  the  matter.  Death  has 
intervened.  The  shock  has  been  so  great  for  me  that 
my  health  is  still  further  impaired;  winter  in  the  South 
does  not  suit  me,  and  I  shall  hope  to  find  relief  in  Tep- 
litz.  We  have  been,  as  you  know,  for  several  months 
in  Como,  but  the  physicians  think  the  vicinity  of  the 
lake  very  bad  for  me.  In  April  I  shall  remove  to  Milan 
with  Violetta,  who  has  decided  to  appear  in  opera.  I 
shall  not  prevent  her  from  pursuing  her  vocation  ;  they 
say  her  voice  is  now  as  fine  as  was  her  mother's.  As 
for  mj'self,  I  will  not  separate  myself  from  the  child 
while  I  live."  Then  followed  answers  to  the  questions 
in  Treffenbach's  last  letter;  the  brevity  of  these  an- 
swers his  son  would  readily  vmderstand. 

Some  weeks  later  the  public  was  startled  by  the  an- 
nouncement that  Signorina  Violetta  Fouquet  was  to 
appear  in  opera  on  a  certain  night  in  April. 

The  death  of  the  petted  Beatrice  was  still  fresh  in 
the  memory  of  all,  and  there  was  intense  eagerness  in 
the  public  mind  to  see  her  daughter. 

The  night  came:  the  curtain  rose,  and  Violetta  ap- 
peared, to  be  greeted  by  a  burst  of  applause, — that 
well-remembered  thunder  which  she  had  hoped  never 
to  hear  again.  And  ah  1  it  reawakened  in  her  the  old 
invincible  shyness,  the  dread  of  all  those  gazing  eyes. 
She  seemed  to  have  had  a  long,  long  dream,  of  peace 
and  rest,  of  a  home,  of  a  father  whoso  strong  arm 
protected  her  young  life,  of  a  brother  who  instructed 
and  advised  her;  and  this  was  the  awakening.  A 
dream  in  clear  sunshine ;  an  awakening  in  a  gaslit 

28 


326  VIOL  ETTA 

night.  And  lienccfortli  she  must  live  in  this  night! 
She  stood  upon  the  stage  like  a  confused  ciiild,  trying 
to  smile  her  thanks  for  her  reception,  her  eyes  filling 
with  tears.  She  tried  to  sing ;  her  voice  failed  her, 
and  yet  she  must  sing,  she  must  act.  Her  fate,  her 
existence,  hung  upon  this  evening. 

A  whisper  began  to  circulate  among  the  audience. 
"  Her  voice  and  her  beauty  must  atone  for  her  acting. 
But  why  is  she  so  afraid  ?  Madame  Fouquet's  daugh- 
ter ought  not  to  be  timid." 

Then  came  a  distinct  whisper :  "  Madame  Fouquet's 
daughter  is  on  the  stage  to  pay  the  debts  which  her 
mother  left  behind  her.     Do  you  understand  ?" 

In  a  flash  this  suggestion  acted  like  an  electric  spark, 
kindling  emotion,  admiration,  enthusiasm,  in  the  im- 
mense audience  ;  they  clapped,  they  shouted,  they  wept. 
Before  she  had  been  able  to  sing  a  note,  "  Brava !"  re- 
sounded from  a  hundred  throats.  The  populace  in  the 
galleries,  mindful  of  its  former  favourite,  shouted  en- 
couragement. "  O  brava !  Coraggio  !  Animo !  Va  be- 
nissimo !     Coraggio !" 

Thus,  sustained  by  the  ardent  sympathy  of  her  emo- 
tional public,  Violetta  sang  and  acted, — she  herself 
scarce  knew  how. 

When  the  opera  was  ended,  and  Signora  Contelli 
had,  with  maternal  tenderness,  conducted  the  girl  to 
her  dressing-room,  she  sat  for  a  while  perfectly  quiet, 
her  hands  clasped  in  her  lap,  her  lovely,  weary  face 
downcast.  "  To-morrow  it  will  be  easier ;  yes,  Animo !" 
she  said  at  last,  and,  raising  her  head,  she  tried  to  smile- 


AN  IDYL   AND  AN  EXILE  327 


CHAPTEE  XXX 

AN   IDYL   AND   AN   EXILE 

They  were  harvesting  on  the  Eavenhorst  meadows, 
which  presented  a  peaceful  picture  of  rustic  indus- 
try. The  wagons  were  coming  and  going,  rolling, 
well  laden,  over  the  soft  meadow  soil,  now  and  then 
swaying  so  that  the  laughing  girls  throned  upon  them 
screamed  in  pretended  terror,  and  those  on  the  ground 
below,  busy  with  rakes,  paused  to  look  after  them. 

The  harvest-field  covered  a  wide  area,  broken  hero 
and  there  by  groups  of  trees,  which  the  axe  of  the 
conservative  owners  of  the  soil  had  spared.  The  cas- 
tle could  be  discerned  in  the  distance  with  its  stately 
terrace,  and  thither  were  turned  the  eyes  of  the 
horseman  who  reined  in  his  brown  steed  beneath  a 
tree.  His  gray  riding-jacket  was  unbuttoned,  his 
neckerchief  was  carelessly  knotted  about  his  throat, 
and  now,  taking  off  his  cap,  he  wiped  his  forehead  with 
his  pocket-handkerchief.  "  Infernally  hot !"  he  ejacu- 
lated ;  but  he  looked  veiy  cheerful  the  while,  and  soon 
began  to  whistle  a  waltz, — a  reminiscence  of  social 
brilliancy,  operatic  delights,  and  elegant  leisure.  It 
sometimes  did  him  good  to  remember  them  all.  The 
brown-and-white  setter,  that  had  until  now  been  sit- 
ting still,  arose  at  the  sound  of  the  melody,  wagged 
his  tail,  and  leaped  up  towai'ds  his  master. 

"Yes,  Nero,  old  fellow,  we're  badly  off;  we  had 
looked  for  some  refreshment  after  the  burden  and  heat 
of  the  day,  but  there's  none  to  bo  had.     No  footman 


328  VIOLETT  A 

with  a  bottle  of  wine,  no  maid  with  a  neat  little  bas- 
ket." He  turned  again  towards  the  haymakers,  and 
was  quite  absorbed  in  watching  them,  when  sud- 
denly Nero  ran  barking  in  the  direction  of  the  castle, 
Avhence  approached  a  tall,  slender  figure  in  a  light 
muslin  gown,  a  white  straw  hat  crowning  her  golden 
braids.  She  carried  on  her  left  arm  a  little  basket, 
from  beneath  the  cover  of  which  protruded  the  neck 
of  a  wine-flask,  and  on  her  right  was  a  sturdy,  laugh- 
ing little  fellow,  rosy  as  an  apple,  stretching  out  hi« 
plump  baby  arms  and  calling  "  Papa !" 

"  By  Jove !"  exclaimed  the  rider,  and  in  an  instant 
he  had  sprung  from  his  horse  and  hastened  to  meet 
the  new-comer.  "  What !  coming  yourself?  And  so 
heavily  laden  !  I  do  not  know  whether  to  fall  at  your 
feet  or  to  scold  you  tei*ribly !" 

"  I  am  bringing  you  mental  and  physical  refresh- 
ment," was  the  smiling  reply.  "  Which  will  you  have 
first  ?" 

"  Both  together,"  he  said,  laughing,  taking  from  her 
child  and  basket  at  once.  "  Are  you  not  tired  ?  Has 
it  not  been  too  much  for  you  ?" 

He  looked  at  her  somewhat  anxiously,  for  her  face, 
lovely  as  ever  though  it  was,  no  longer  wore  the  ap- 
pearance of  robust  health  which  had  foi"merly  belonged 
to  it,  and  the  figure,  too,  was  more  delicate,  and  did  not 
move  with  quite  its  former  elasticity. 

The  child  buried  its  chubby  hands  in  its  father's 
hair  and  called,  "  Papa,  papa !" 

"  Good  heavens,  what  w^as  that?"  asked  Count  Hesss, 
as  much  startled  as  if  his  dog  had  suddenly  spoken. 

"  My  *  mental'  refreshment.  Come,  baby,  be  a  good 
boy,  and  say  'papa'  again."     'Baby'  obeyed. 

"That'e  positively  too  ridiculous,"  said  Count  Ar- 


AN  IDYL   AND  AN  EXILE  329 

min.  "  What  a  colossal  curiosity  a  follow  like  this 
isl" 

"Put  him  down  in  the  hay,  and  take  a  glass  of 
wine.     There  is  everything  in  the  basket." 

So  they  sat  down  beneath  the  tree,  and  the  child 
on  the  hay  before  them  began  to  pound  with  his  little 
fists  the  dog  lying  beside  him,  that  wagged  his  tail 
and  now  and  then  licked  the  baby's  chubby  cheek. 

"He  has  a  deal  of  pluck,"  said  Count  Armin,  as  he 
drank  his  wine ;  "  the  I'ogue  is  hardly  a  year  old." 

"Ah,  I  am  afraid  he  is  like  me,"  Countess  Marie 
Louise  said,  wüth  a  sigh.  "  Look  how  mercilessly  he  is 
beating  the  dog." 

"And  how  delightedly  Nero  is  licking  his  hand!" 
He  spoke  gayly,  but  again  he  glanced  at  his  wife 
with  some  anxiety.  Her  lip  quivered,  and  there  were 
tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  A  magnificent  harvest,"  he  said,  by  way  of  divert- 
ing her  thoughts,  "  and  I  hope  we  shall  get  it  all  in 
without  rain ;  or  do  you  think  that  cloud  looks  threat- 
ening ?" 

But  she  did  not  look  at  the  cloud.  She  leaned  her 
head  on  his  shoulder  and  put  her  hand  in  his.  "  Oh, 
Armin,  how  kind  you  are !  How  you  try  to  shield  and 
guard  me  when  I  am  beset  by  bitter  recollections !" 

"  You  have  no  right  to  have  any  recollections,  dear 
heart:  the  doctor  has  expi*essly  forbidden  them;  and 
two  years  ought  to  have  obliterated  them.  Enjoy  the 
present,  and  the  possession  of  so  uncommonly  amiable 
and  delightful  a  husband  as  yours." 

She  could  not  help  smiling,  and  as  at  this  moment 
Armin  the  younger  rolled  over  and  made  direct  for  the 
horse's  heels,  she  had  no  time  for  reflections.  She  ran 
after  the  child,  and  brought  it  back,  a  roguish  smile 

28* 


330  VIOLETTA 

upon  its  baby  face,  that  suddenly  soothed  Marie 
Louise.  "  He  looks  wonderfully  like  you,  Armin,  and 
that  consoles  me." 

The  harvesters  had  frequently  east  stolen  glances 
towards  the  group  beneath  the  shady  elm,  but  even 
more  interest  was  shown  by  a  young  man  coming 
slowly  from  the  castle,  who  paused  to  contemplate  the 
picture, — the  horse  grazing  at  a  little  distance,  the 
lovely  woman  with  the  sturdy  child  upon  her  lap,  and 
the  castle's  lord  reclining  upon  the  grass  with  the  in- 
dolent grace  native  to  him,  and  holding  up  his  hock- 
glass  to  see  the  wine  sparkling  in  the  sunlight. 

It  was  a  perfect  presentment  of  rest  and  comfort 
after  the  labour  of  the  day. 

The  eyes  of  the  stranger  were  filled  with  intense 
melancholy.  "  Happy  people !"  he  said  half  aloud  to 
himself,  as  he  leaned  against  the  balustrade  of  the 
little  bridge  that  spanned  the  meadow  brook,  and 
continued  to  watch  the  group  beneath  the  elm. 
"Have  I  striven  to  attain  the  worthiest  aims,  sacri- 
ficing my  time  and  my  powers  of  mind  to  the  noblest 
ambition,  only  to  stand  here  now  and  gaze,  devoured 
by  envy,  upon  those  who  have  done  nothing  save  live 
and  love  ?  Is  it  not  shameful  that  I  would  fain  resign 
all  that  I  have  written  and  accomplished  for  a  single 
hour  of  such  rest,  such  happiness,  such  peace  as  they 
are  enjoying?  My  life  has  been  one  of  labour  and  of 
sacrifice  of  my  own  wishes :  the  consciousness  of  this 
ought  to  steel  my  soul,  and  give  me  sti-ength  and  con- 
tent. But  human  nature  is  of  the  earth,  and  earthly 
joys  must  always  hover  before  men's  eyes  as  the 
highest  attainable  happiness." 

He  walked  on  slowly,  and  was  close  beside  the 
group  beneath  the  elm  before  he  was  obseiwed.    "  Tref- 


AN  IDYL   AND  AN  EXILE  331 

fenbacb,  by  nil  that  is  wonderful!"  Count  Armin 
exclaimed  in  the  greatest  surprise.  "  Am  I  dream- 
ing? Mai'ie,  Marie,  tell  me  if  you  see  a  Brazilian 
standing  there,  with  a  beard  of  jet  and  a  skin  like  an 
Indian  chief's !"  And  springing  up.  Count  Hess  con- 
fronted his  friend,  and  clasped  his  hand  warmly  in 
both  his  own. 

Marie  Louise,  her  boy  in  her  arms,  held  out  her  hand 
with  a  smile,  and  a  blush  that  extended  to  the  roots  of 
her  hair, — two  things  that  caused  Treffenbach  to  doubt 
her  identity. 

Questions  and  answei-s  followed  in  rapid  succession. 
Magnus  had  come  from  Berlin.  He  had  been  some- 
what affected  in  health  by  the  Brazilian  climate,  and 
his  chief  had  insisted  upon  his  returning  to  Europe 
for  at  least  a  year,  wherefore  he  had  come,  much 
against  his  inclination. 

He  looked  so  haggard  and  worn  that  it  needed  no 
explanation  to  see  that  he  had  suffered  from  fever,  but 
it  must  have  been  something  more  than  physical  suf- 
fering that  had  taken  from  his  eyes  the  look  of  firm 
resolve,  and  had  given  to  the  features  an  expression 
of  weary  pain.  The  man  so  envied  by  the  man}^, 
whose  career  seemed  so  brilliant  and  triumphant, 
looked  like  one  who  had  suffered  shij)wreck  in  life 
and  who  hoped  for  nothing  more. 

Marie  Louise  went  back  to  the  house  with  her  boy 
to  give  some  necessary  directions,  and  as  the  two 
friends  sat  together  on  the  grass,  Count  Armin  frankly 
told  Magnus  how  and  why  his  appearance  distressed 
him. 

"Perhaps  you  are  right,"  Treffenbach  said,  with 
some  bitterness.  ''  My  life  is  in  most  respects  shat- 
tered, ruined,  a  failure,  differing  from  that  of  many 


332  VIOLETT  A 

Others  only  in  that  they  are  for  the  most  part  Ic 
blame  for  the  annihilation  of  their  hopes,  while  I  am 
the  victim  of  fate.  " 

Count  Armin  whistled  softly  to  himself,  and  emp- 
tied his  glass  with  a  reflective  air.  "  Or,"  he  then  said, 
"  the  victim  of  your  own  heroism.  By  Jove,  Magnus, 
I  never  should  have  had  the  force  of  character  to  run 
away  so  from  two  charming  women." 

"  Hush,  hush,  I  beseech  you !"  said  Treffenbach, 
hastily ;  his  pulses  throbbed.  Yes — jqb,  thei'e  was  the 
root  of  all  his  suffering,  the  sore  spot  in  his  heart. 

"  Forgive  me,  Magnus.  I  am  and  always  shall  be  a 
thoughtless  fellow,  in  spite  of  my  blushing  paternal 
honours.  Tell  me  how  you  think  she  looks.  Do  you 
find  her  changed  ?    Is  she  not  very  delicate  and  pale  ?" 

At  the  moment  Treffenbach's  fancy  was  so  filled 
with  another  form  that  it  took  some  little  time  for  him 
to  collect  his  thoughts.  "  Marie  Louise  ?  She  is 
changed,  there's  no  denying  that ;  but  she  seemed  to 
me  to  look  wonderfully  well.  What  has  been  the 
matter  ?     Is  she  ill  ?" 

"  Two  years  ago  she  was  desperately  ill ;  for  months 
I  was  afraid  she  would  die,  and  since  then  she  has  been 
delicate  in  health.  I  hoped  she  would  recover  en- 
tirely after  the  birth  of  her  child,  but  she  still  seems 
frail." 

"  What  caused  her  illness  ?" 

"  Oh,  that  is  a  very  long  story.  We  had  taken  into 
the  house  a  poor  boy  whom  we  supposed  to  be  a  vaga- 
bond gypsy  child,  and  whom  we  treated  accordingly, 
but  who  turned  out  to  have  belonged  to  most  respect- 
able parents,  and — well,  the  whole  affair  was  distress- 
ing, and  Marie  Louise  took  it  altogether  too  much  to 
heart  and  tormented  herself  with  self-reproaches  until 


AN  IDYL  AND  AN   EXILE  333 

eho  became  ill.  But  say  nothing  of  it  to  liei,  I  beg  of 
you." 

There  was  a  pause.  Treffenbach  looked  towards  the 
harvesters,  then  his  glance  wandered  to  the  castle  and 
finally  to  his  friend.     "  And  you  are  hapjDy  ?" 

Count  Hess  smiled  by  way  of  reply. 

"  How  do  you  live  ?"  asked  Treffenbach.  "  Do  you 
stay  here  all  the  year  round,  or  do  you  pass  the  winters 
in  Berlin  ?" 

"  We  have  never  spent  a  winter  there  yet.  I  do  not 
know  what  should  take  us  there.  I  should  hardly  cut 
a  very  fine  figure  in  society  now."  He  laughed  and 
held  out  his  hand.  "  Look,  old  fellow ;  see  how  my 
prophecy  has  been  fulfilled.  "What  would  the  lovely 
Countess  Mascha  say  to  that  paw  ?" 

"  Oh,  I  was  not  thinking  of  social  amusements," 
Magnus  said,  hastily.  "Marie  Louise  would  never 
leave  her  grandparents  for  the  sake  of  any  such,  but 
I  thought  she  had  an  extended  sphere  of  activity 
among  philanthropic  institutions.  She  laid  the  foun- 
dation for  it  that  winter  in  Berlin  when — when  we 
were  betrothed;  she  then  became  amember  of  various 
charities,  writing  a  great  deal  in  their  favour  and  con- 
tributing largely  to  their  success.  A  Marie  Louise  does 
not  pause  in  such  a  path.' " 

"  Oh,  yes,  she  pauses  at  once  if  her  husbana  saj^s, 
'  Stop  there,  my  darling  !'  " 

Magnus  looked  amazed.  "  Then  she  must  be  im- 
mensely changed,  or — pardon  me,  Armin — you  have 
turned  out  a  tyrant." 

"  Yes,  a  monster,  a  Bluebeard,  an  ogre,"  Hess  gravely 
assured  him.     "  They  all  tremble  at  my  nod." 

"  But  jesting  apart,  Armin,  you  ought  not  to  have 
done  this.   Marie  Louise  is  a  highly-gifted  woman '* 


334  VIOLETTA 

"  And  she  is  also  Countess  von  Hess ;  in  my  opinion 
all  the  rest  is  a  secondary  consideration." 

"  Do  not  imagine,"  Magnus  said,  bitterly,  "  that  I 
have  a  word  to  say  in  defence  of  the  so-called  '  strong- 
minded'  woman  of  the  period.  I  know  where  she 
belongs.  But  do  you  estimate  Marie  Louise  so  low 
that  you  do  not  think  she  can  do  one  duty  and  not 
leave  the  other  undone?  If  so,  you  are  far  indeed 
from  setting  a  true  value  upon  the  force  of  character 
by  which  she  can  rule  in  a  wide  field  of  action,  with- 
out neglecting  the  smallest  duty.  Such  women  are 
rare,  Armin,  and  ought  not  to  hide  their  light  under  a 
bushel." 

"  Eavenhorst  is  no  bushel,  but  a  spacious  mansion  ; 
and  it  is  there  that  her  light  belongs.  Just  come,  my 
dear  fellow,  and  see  how  it  shines.  I  am  sure  that  she 
and  her  grandparents  are  expecting  you  impatiently." 

They  arose.  Count  Hess  beckoned  to  an  overseer, 
to  whom  he  gave  several  oixlers  and  resigned  the  care 
of  his  horse,  and  then  the  two  friends  walked  slowly 
towards  the  castle. 

The  sun  was  setting  when  they  reached  the  terrace, 
where  Herr  and  Frau  von  Plattow  received  their 
nephew  with  a  cordial  welcome  and  overwhelmed 
him  with  questions.  They  sat  together  for  an  hour, 
and  then  the  young  Countess  appeared,  having  super- 
intended putting  her  boy  to  bed,  and  they  all  sat  down 
to  the  evening  meal  in  the  comfortable  old  dining- 
room,  where  TreflFenbach  had  so  often  loved  as  a  boy 
to  sit  beside  his  fair,  silent  cousin,  whispering  to  her 
of  the  great  deeds  he  intended  to  do  in  the  future ; 
he  should  certainly  do  something  grand  and  noble ;  it 
was  a  pity  that  there  were  no  longer  any  dragons  to 
kill. 


AN  IDYL  AND   AN  EXILE  335 

And  now  ?  How  distorted  and  ruined  had  been  tho 
close  of  his  youth !  With  what  an  unhol}'  passion  his 
heart  was  filled !  He !  the  son  of  such  a  mother, — ■ 
warned  and  guided  from  earliest  childhood,  and  so 
calmly  confident  in  his  own  strength  ! 

"  Tell  us,  my  dear  Magnus,  what  your  plans  are 
now,"  said  the  old  Fran,  gazing  at  him  with  maternal 
anxiety.  She  thought  him  looking  very  ill.  "  Shall 
you  stay  in  Yelzin  ?" 

"Yes,  probably.  I  am  to  have  a  holiday  in  this 
country." 

"  Are  you  not  going  to — to  Italy  to  see  your  father  ?" 
This  was  asked  with  some  hesitation.  The  subject 
had  not  been  mentioned  before :  the  thoughts  it  sug- 
gested were  too  painful. 

"  I  do  not  know.  I  hardly  know  where  he  is  just 
at  present,"  Treffenbach  replied,  with  an  effort. 
"  Have  you  heai*d  from  him  lately  ?" 

No  one  had  heard.  Count  Hess,  after  some  re- 
flection, said,  "  I  think  the  pastor's  wife  at  Yelzin 
takes  pains  always  to  know  where  they  are.  She  is 
much  interested  in  Fräulein  Fouquet  through  a  friend 
of  hers." 

"  Is  it  true  that  he  is  slightly  paralyzed  ?"  Magnus 
asked,  shrinking  at  the  sound  of  that  word. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  discover  the  true  state  of  affairs. 
But  has  he  not  told  you  how  he  is  ?" 

"  He  writes  me  only  that  he  is  suffering.  I  heard 
elsewhere  that  he  had  had  a  stroke." 

There  was  an  embarrassed  silence.  At  last  Marie 
Louise  said,  "  Then  you  do  not  know  that  he  went  to 
Teplitz  this  spring.  Armin's  mother,  who  was  there, 
wrote  us  that  the  baths  had  been  of  great  service  to 
him — considering." 


336  VIOLETTA 

Treffenbach  said  iiothini^;  and  there  was  another 
painful  pause,  until  at  last  they  began  to  talk  upon  in- 
different subjects.  He  then  roused  himself  from  his  rev- 
ery  and  turned  his  attention  to  Marie  Louise,  observing 
her  with  ever-increasing  admiration.  Slie  might  bo 
paler  and  more  delicate  than  of  yore,  but  she  was  even 
more  lovely,  for  her  face  was  animated  by  a  quick 
change  of  expression,  and  her  clear  eyes  were  full  of 
cordial  sympathy.  If  the  conversation  turned  upon  ab- 
stract matters,  she  was  quite  as  much  interested  as  for- 
merly, and  at  such  times  her  husband  looked  at  her 
with  an  amused  smile.  But  often  when  he  expressed  an 
opinion,  she  seemed  to  forget  that  she  had  any. 

"  Now,  Treffenbach,  pray  ask  her  why  we  have  no 
house  in  town,  and  wh}'  we  are  not  conducting  six  be- 
nevolent institutions.  Marie,  you  must  know  that  he 
is  terribly  shocked  at  both  of  us,  but  especially  at  me. 
I  have  made  you  false  to  your  lofty  aims,  and  have 
degraded  you  to  the  sphere  of  the  commonplace. 
You  are  a  marble  goddess  descended  from  her  ped- 
estal." 

Marie  Louise  blushed :  "  And  I  shall  tell  him  noth- 
ing, except  that  such  is  your  will  and  pleasure." 

"  There,  you  perceive,  Treffenbach,  what  a  domestic 
tyrant  I  am.  Did  you  notice  the  resignation  in  her 
glance  ?" 

Frau  von  Plattow  patted  Armin  affectionately  on 
the  shoulder.  "  My  dear  Magnus,"  she  said,  "  we  owe 
you  our  special  thanks  for  sending  us  this  fellow. 
Since  he  came  we  have  all  grown  young  and  gay." 

After  supper  Count  Hess  took  his  friend  up  to  his 
own  rooms,  since  the  old  people  were  wont  to  retire 
early.  The  two  friends  smoked  their  cigars  in  the 
Count's  study,  and  talked  about  all  sorts  of  things  in 


'  THE    WOUNDS  OF  A   FRIEND.'  337 

which  neither  was  greatly  interested.  Marie  Louise 
came  in  for  a  moment. 

"  I'm  not  going  to  interrupt  you,"  she  said,  "  I  have 
come  only  to  bid  you  good-night.  I  am  tired,  and  you 
can  talk  together  in  peace  until  midnight  if  you  like. 
You  know,  Armin,  where  Magnus's  room  is,  and  will 
show  him  to  it." 

As  she  left  the  room  Hess  became  absent  and  rest- 
less, and  finally  he  rose  and  followed  her.  Treffenbach, 
through  the  open  folding-doors,  saw  him  speak  with 
his  wife  in  her  drawing-room,  and  then  bend  down 
and  gaze  into  her  eyes  with  a  look  of  tender  anxiety, 
which  she  returned  with  a  smile.  Certainly  Armin 
understood  the  art  of  being  happy  and  of  making 
others  so. 


CHAPTEE  XXXI 
'the  wounds  op  a  friend' 

"  And  now,"  said  Count  Hess,  when  a  few  minutes 
later  they  were  sitting  alone  together  by  the  open 
window,  their  cigars  lit  and  a  flask  of  Ehine  wine  on 
the  table, — "  now  for  your  affairs.  No  need,  since  I 
see  you,  to  tell  me  how  matters  stand  with  you ;  it  is 
written  on  your  forehead.  Tell  me,  then,  my  dear  fel- 
low, what  prevents  you  from  being  as  happy  as  I  am  ?" 

Treffenbach  gazed  out  into  the  calm  night  and 
shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  I  cannot  understand  your 
question.  Is  happiness  a  pebble  lying  bj'  the  wayside 
only  waiting  to  be  picked  up  ?  Tell  me,  I  pray  you, 
whei-e  it  is  awaiting  me,  and  I  shall  be  forever  your 
debtor." 

V        u  29 


338  VIOLETTA 

"  You  know  that  as  well  as  I  do.  "Would  you  per- 
suade  me  that  you  have  forgotten  Violetta  Fouquet's 
eyes  ?" 

Treffenbach  shuddered.  "  Not  a  word  of  that !"  he 
said,  hastily. 

"  You  behaved  harshly  and  very  cruelly  when  you 
left  them  never  to  return." 

"  If  that  be  so,  I  alone  have  borne  the  punishment 
for  my  harshness." 

"  But  there  is  still  time,  Magnus " 

"For  what?"  the  other  interrupted  him,  angrily. 
"  For  wooing  a  soubrette  from  the  stage  ?  Is  that 
what  you  would  pi'opose  to  me  ?" 

"  No,"  Count  Hess  said,  quietly ;  "  but  to  lift  the 
burden  of  life  from  the  shoulders  of  an  innocent 
victim." 

"  That  is  mere  sentimental  rubbish.  Listen  to  me, 
Armin,  and  call  common  sense  to  your  aid.  I  consent  to 
speak  of  these  things,  although  my  entire  nature  re- 
volts, although  the  whole  affair  drags  upon  me  like  some 
incurable  disease  clinging  to  a  man  and  deforming  him 
while  life  lasts.  Let  us  begin  at  the  beginning,  and  set 
sentiment  aside.  Let  the  facts  speak.  When  my  mother 
had  been  scarcely  nine  months  in  her  grave  my  father 
married  Madame  Fouquet.  Three  years  later  Madame 
Fouquet  ran  away.  Or  is  this  not  so  ?  You  see  I  have 
heard  everything.  That  during  her  flight  death  over- 
took her  was  fortunate  for  us,  but  does  not  alter  the 
fact  that  the  Baroness  Treffenbach  disgraced  our  name. 
My  father  stayed  with  the  daughter,  who,  instead 
of  burj'-ing  the  name  of  Fouquet  in  the  deepest  ob- 
livion, goes  upon  the  stage,  and  triumphantly  flaunts 
it  abroad.  "When  I  learned  this  I  wrote  to  my  father 
that,  since  all  ties  connecting  him  with  the  mother  and 


'THE   WOUNDS  OF  A   FRIEND'  339 

daughter  were  thus  severed,  and  wc  both  stood  alone 
again,  I  would  come  back  to  Europe,  and  we  would 
live  together,  to  which  he  replied  that  he  never  should 
leave  his  step-daughter.  Now  tell  me  yourself  what 
happiness  I  can  hope  for.  Shall  I  do  as  my  poor  father 
did,  and  pass  through  the  same  experience  ?" 

"  Have  you  finished  ?"  asked  Count  Hess.  "  Well, 
then,  let  me  speak  ;  not  of  facts,  indeed,  but  of  proba- 
bilities. I  have  thought  much  of  these  matters,  and 
have  drawn  ni}'-  own  conclusions,  which  may  all  bo 
false,  although  I  do  not  believe  them  to  be  so.  Look 
you,  the  girl  can  never  be  a  celebrity  as  her  mother 
was:  she  has  an  aversion  for  the  stage;  yet  she  goes 
to  Milan  and  sings  and  acts.  "Wherefore  ?  Then,  too, 
your  father  has  never  told  you  he  was  paralyzed. 
Strange  likewise.  If  you  had  known  that  he  had  had 
a  stroke  you  would  undoubtedly  have  come  to  Eui-ope 
to  see  him.  He  keeps  the  knowledge  from  you.  They 
say  that  he  is  entirely  helpless, — able  to  move  only 
his  left  arm.  AYhy  has  he  not  told  you  of  this  ?  It 
would  seem  that  he  does  not  want  you." 

"  I  know  he  does  not.  He  no  longer  has  any  aifec- 
tion  for  his  son.  Those  others  have  complete  posses- 
sion of  his  heart." 

"  Do  not  interrupt  me.  Did  it  never  occur  to  you 
that  Beatrice  Fouquet  was  a  woman  who  would  have 
no  difficulty  in  making  away  with  a  large  fortune  in 
a  very  small  space  of  time?  Are  you  familiar  with 
your  father's  pecuniary  affairs  ?  Did  you  ever  re- 
flect that  you  were  your  mothers  heir,  but  that  your 
father's  reputation  as  a  monej-ed  man  was  based  upon 
her  wealth  ?" 

Treffenbach  felt  the  colour  rise  to  his  forehead.  "  I 
know  nothing  of  my  fathci-'s  circumstances,"  he  said. 


340  VIOLETTA 

"I  have  alwaj^s  supposed  him  a  wealthy  man;  and 
then,  his  pension " 

"  My  dear  fellow,  have  you  the  slightest  idea  of  the 
cost  of  the  maintenance  of  such  an  establishment  as 
was  his  ?  And  are  you  further  aware  that  the  Fou- 
quet  had  debts,  and  contracted  debts  ?" 

"  That,  too  ?" 

"  No  need  to  excite  ourselves  about  it,  we  need  only 
admit  the  fact.  His  anxious  expression  often  struck 
me  that  year  in  Teplitz,  It  could  not  surely  have 
escaped  you,  his  son?" 

"  He  never  admitted  me  to  his  confidence,"  Treffen- 
bach rejoined,  gloomily. 

«  Nor  me." 

There  was  a  pause.  Treffenbach  sighed,  and  wiped 
his  forehead  with  his  handkerchief.  "  Then  you 
think " 

"  I  think,"  Count  Hess  interrupted  him  with  a 
fervour  quite  rare  with  him,  "  that  he  is  now  at  the 
end  of  his  finances.  I  think  everything  was  lost  in 
the  shipwreck  of  his  life, — honour,  happiness,  health, 
money.  I  think  that  his  '  residence  in  the  South'  was 
his  way  of  burying  his  misery,  of  vanishing  from  the 
world  and  from  the  memory  of  his  friends  ;  but  more 
than  all  is  he  resolved  to  hide  his  mental  and  pecuni- 
ary ruin  from  his  son.  For  this  son  has  but  one  fault, 
— he  is  too  virtuous.  The  escapades  of  a  Beatrice,  the 
theatrical  career  of  her  daughter,  must  never  be  brought 
into  court  where  he  is  judge.  The  only  thing  that  ho 
can  do  for  this  son  is  to  die  as  soon  and  in  as  great 
seclusion  as  possible,  in  order  that  this  whole  episode, 
so  little  conducive  to  the  honour  of  the  Treffenbachs, 
may  be  buried  in  the  sea  of  oblivion,  above  which  the 
Bon's  fame  may  shine  in  full  perfection.     And  to  this 


^THE  WOUNDS  OF  A   FRIEND'  341 

end  he  starves,  and  suffers,  and  foregoes  the  best  that 
life  has  ever  offered  him, — the  society  of  his  son,  whom 
he  loves  beyond  aught  else,  for  whose  presence  he  can 
never  cease  to  long." 

"  You  torture  me !"  TrefFenbach  exclaimed,  starting 
up. 

"  Then  let  me  give  you  one  consolation.  In  all  this 
misery  he  has  not  been  alone.  An  angel  has  stood 
beside  him,  a  sylph  with  seraph's  wings  consoled  him, 
strengthened  him,  loved  him,  understood  him,  endured 
everything  with  him,  cheered  him  in  his  dark  hours, 
and  nursed  him  in  illness,  and  since  she  saw  no  other 
way  out  of  the  labyrinth  of  debt  and  want,  did  what 
she  could  for  him  and  sold  her  voice.  And  if  all  these 
probabilities  of  mine  should  prove  to  be  certainties,  she 
has  done  more  than  you  or  I  in  our  whole  lives  have 
ever  done,  and  if  I  were  a  free  man,  with  a  free  heart, 
I  should  go  south  by  the  next  express,  and  lay  heart, 
hand,  and  everything  that  I  possessed  at  her  feet !" 

Treffenbach  covered  his  face  with  his  hands.  "  You 
crush  me  to  the  earth,  Armin,"  he  murmured.  "  Do 
you  know  it?" 

"  Yes ;  and  I  know,  too,  that  your  pride  will,  per- 
haps, never  forgive  me  for  so  doing,"  the  other  replied, 
rising, — "  that  we  may,  perhaps,  be  friends  no  longer ; 
but  I  can  do  no  otherwise." 

"  No !"  exclaimed  Magnus,  springing  up,  and  taking 
Armin's  hands  in  his  own.  "  No ;  while  life  lasts  I 
shall  never  cease  to  be  grateful  to  you  for  opening  my 
eyes,  for  showing  me  myself  as  I  am." 

They  stood  thus  for  a  moment,  hand  clasped  in 
hand,  their  hearts  filled  with  memories  of  a  life-long 
friendship,  and  then  Armin  conducted  Magnus  to  his 
room.     There  was  nothing  more  to  be  said. 

29* 


342  VIOLETTA 

When  the  Count  afterwards  looked  into  the  nursery, 
he  found  Marie  Louise  there  in  a  white  peignoir,  sit- 
ting by  her  boy's  cradle,  the  golden  abundance  of  her 
hair  loose  about  her.  "  So  soon  ?"  she  asked,  surprised. 
"  Has  Magnus  gone  to  bed  already  ?" 

"  Yes."  Iler  husband  came  and  sat  down  beside  her, 
propping  his  head  on  his  hand,  and  gazing  thought- 
fully before  him.  "  It  is  so  fine  in  both  of  you,  in 
him  and  in  you,  that  your  pursuit  of  the  truth  is  so 
upright  and  honest  that  you  are  really  grateful  to 
those  who  relentlessly  tell  it  to  you.  Poor  fellow! 
I  am  afraid  he'll  not  sleep  to-night.  Distress  of  mind, 
remorse,  and  an  invincible  passion  will  all  lay  siege  to 
him." 

"  Oh,  I  wish  I  could  do  something  to  make  him  hap- 
pier! I  never  can  forget  how  coldly  and  unsympa- 
thetically  I  once  left  him  in  his  despair." 

"  Well,  you  can  do  something,"  he  said,  with  a 
searching  look  into  her  eyes. 

"  Oh,  tell  me  what !" 

"  Write  to  Yioletta  Fouquet  to  come  and  spend  her 
holidays  (they  begin  soon  now)  with  us,  instead  of 
starring  it." 

There  was  a  short  silence.  Marie  Louise  coloured, 
and  seemed  to  struggle  with  herself. 

"  My  poor  darling,"  he  said,  compassionately,  "  it  is 
too  much  to  ask  of  you.     I  will  not  do  it." 

"  But  you  wish  it  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  for  his  sake." 

"  Then  it  shall  be  done.  If  you  would  do  it  for  his 
sake,  I  can  surely  do  it  for  yours." 

When  Treffenbach  made  his  appearance  the  next 
morning,  he  looked  so  pale  and  grave  that  all  pitied 
him  J  and,  moreover,  he  was  restless  and  preoccupied 


'THE    WOUNDS  OF  A    FRIEND'  343 

until  the  couveyance  which  he  had  ordered  from  Vel- 
zin  came  to  carry  him  thither. 

He  spent  the  day  there  alone  in  the  old  house. 
Towards  evening  he  went  out  and  stood  upon  the 
marble  rampart  at  the  bottom  of  the  garden,  at  the 
foot  of  which  the  gentle  waves  of  the  lake  plashed 
softly.  It  was  the  season  of  roses,  Yelzin's  loveliest 
time.  The  gray  old  house  was  all  wreathed  over  with 
trailing  branches,  heavy  with  the  pink  clusters;  the 
garden  was  wilder  than  ever,  and  myriads  of  rose- 
leaves  were  floating  upon  the  near  surface  of  the  lake. 

What  were  his  thoughts  as  he  stood  gazing  down 
into  the  water  as  if  to  search  its  depths  ?  Perhaps  he 
recalled  the  half-forgotten  childish  tale,  and  saw  be- 
low there  the  castle  of  gold,  ruby,  and  ivory,  and  the 
king  lamenting,  and  the  black-tressed  naiad  gliding 
by,  crowned  with  lilies,  half-fish,  half-Avoman,  beauti- 
ful, soulless,  with  her  intoxicating  smile. 

Perhaps,  too,  he  wondered  whether  his  whole  life 
had  not  been  a  mistake ; — whether  he  had  not  been 
searching  for  the  mote  in  his  neighbour's  eye,  uncon- 
scious of  the  beam  in  his  own  ; — or  whether  he  had  not 
striven  after  lofty  aims  and  neglected  the  duty  lying 
nearest  him  ?  And  at  last  there  occurred  to  him  a 
verse  in  praise  of  charity, — the  greatest  of  all  lofty 
virtues,  before  which  even  faith  and  hope  fade. 

As  the  twilight  darkened,  he  took  his  way,  as  was 
his  wont,  to  the  pastor's  cottage,  where,  upon  his 
return,  he  had  found  Fran  Ehrhardt  the  same  true, 
faithful  friend  that  she  had  always  been  to  him,  as  to 
his  mother.  In  his  previous  interview  with  her  upon 
his  arrival  in  Velzin,  not  one  word  had  been  exchanged 
between  them  with  regard  to  his  father.  There  had 
been  much  to  tell  of  the  success  of  the  schools  his 


344  VIOLETTA 

mother  had  established,  and  of  the  pastor's  flock  in 
the  village  and  his  own  small  flock  at  home,  where 
Hanna  had  come  to  be  a  most  attractive  maiden,  and 
her  mother's  right  hand  in  the  parsonage  and  in  the 
parish.  But  to-night  he  sought  the  cottage  with  but 
one  thought,  to  learn,  if  he  might,  his  father's  address. 

Fortunately,  he  found  Frau  Ehrhardt  alone.  Hanna 
had  gone  with  her  father  upon  an  errand  to  the  village, 
and  the  younger  children  had  not  yet  come  in  from 
their  twilight  play  in  the  garden.  In  a  few  words,  for 
he  could  not  speak  even  to  this  true  friend  of  what 
had  filled  his  mind  all  through  this  day,  he  told  her 
that  he  was  going  to  his  father,  and  confessed  that  he 
was  in  ignorance  of  where  in  Italy  he  was  at  present, 
although  he  knew  that  Yioletta  had  gone  upon  the 
stage  in  Milan. 

Without  a  word  the  pastor's  wife  produced  from  her 
desk  her  last  letter  from  her  friend  Frau  Forstmann  ; 
a  letter  that  told  a  sad  tale  in  spite  of  the  writer's 
evident  ignorance  of  the  actual  life  of  her  '  dear  young 
Fräulein.'  It  answered  Treff'enbach's  question,  and 
when  he  left  the  parsonage  shortly  afterwards,  he 
carried  it  with  him. 


IL   PALAZZO  BELLOm  345 


CHAPTEE    XXXII 

IL  PALAZZO   BELLONI 

Three  days  later  Treffenbach  reached  Milan  as  the 
evening  was  setting  in,  and  drove  through  the  streets 
to  the  address  that  had  been  given  him  by  the  pastor's 
wife.  Whether  it  was  the  effect  of  the  rainy  sum- 
mer evening,  or  of  his  own  mood,  certain  it  is  that 
the  brilliant,  beautiful  city  seemed  to  him  miserably 
gloomy  and  sad.  The  fiacre  finally  turned  into  a  dark 
street  in  the  ancient  quarter  of  the  town,  and  drew 
up  before  a  tall  mansion,  the  exterior  of  which  pre- 
sented a  melancholy  picture  of  former  grandeur  and 
present  decay. 

Many  of  the  window-panes  were  wanting  or  partly 
broken,  and  the  holes  were  stuffed  with  paper  or  straw. 
The  walls  were  defaced  by  cracks  here  and  there,  while 
ornaments  and  rosettes  of  a  rare,  yellowish  marble  were 
set  in  the  arches  of  the  windows. 

"This  cannot  be  the  house,"  said  Treffenbach,  in  but 
indifferent  Italian. 

"  Oh,  sicuro,  sicuro  I  this  is  the  house, — the  Palazzo 
Belloni." 

Treffenbach  sighed  and  got  out  of  the  conveyance. 
An  old  woman  opened  the  door  for  him,  gazed  at  him 
in  surprise,  and  then  returned  to  a  small  room  intended 
for  the  concierge,  where  she  was  eating  her  polenta  by 
the  light  of  an  oil-lamp. 

His  footsteps  echoed  in  the  spacious  vaulted  hall ; 
he  ascended  the  staii'case,  which  was  of  splendid  pro- 


346  VIOLETTA 

portions ;  a  silence  as  of  death  prevailed,  and  it  all 
looked  deserted  and  ruinous.  The  marble  stairs  were 
cracked  in  places ;  a  piece  of  the  ceiling  had  fallen, 
and  the  frescoed  walls  showed  only  spots  of  colour 
here  and  there,  like  islands  amid  the  crumbling  plaster. 
Apparently  this  was  an  ancient  palace, — long  uninhab- 
ited, and  not  thought  worthy  of  restoration. 

Before  a  door  on  the  first  landing  a  small  lamp  was 
burning ;  there  was  nothing  else  to  guide  a  visitor. 
Treffenbach  discovered  a  bell-handle,  which  he  pulled, 
and  at  the  shrill  sound  the  door  was  cautiously  opened, 
and  a  round,  ruddy  face,  beneath  a  shock  of  flaxen 
hair,  peeped  through  the  crack,  drew  back,  and  then 
appeared  again. 

"  Friedrich !"  Treffenbach  said,  quietl}^. 

"  Herr — Herr — Baron !" 

"  Yes,  it  is  I.     Open  the  door." 

"Saints  above!"  the  servant  cried,  in  a  stifled  voice, 
"  how  shall  we  ever  tell  him  ?" 

"  Is  my  father  so  ill  ?" 

"  Ah,  Herr  Baron,  not  more  ill  than  usual,  but  this  is 
such  a  sui'prise.  We — we — ah,  Herr  Baron,  no  one 
can  tell  you  how — but  come  in."  And  the  faithful 
fellow  almost  sobbed.  "  I  will  go  to  his  Excellency 
and  try  to  keep  him  from  being  too  much  startled." 

He  conducted  Treffenbach  to  a  large,  dim  room. 
High  uncurtained  windows  shone  gray  in  the  dark- 
ness. Magnus  could  distinguish  some  high-backed 
chairs  with  carved  arms  standing  here  and  there 
against  the  walls,  could  see  a  huge  chimney-piece,  and 
felt  beneath  his  feet  the  chill  of  a  marble  floor ;  all  in- 
creasing the  sense  of  discomfort  which  had  distressed 
him  from  the  moment  of  his  arrival. 

Meanwhile,  Friedrich  had  opened  the  tall  folding- 


IL   PALAZZO  BELLONI  347 

doors  opposite,  and  TrefFcnbach  heard  him  sa}^,  "  Your 
Excellency — we — I — it " 

"  What  is  the  matter?"  the  familiar  voice  exclaimed. 
"  Friedrich  !  how  you  look  !     What  has  happened  ?" 

"  Oh,  nothing,  your  Excellency  ;  'tis — 'tis  something 
very  pleasant!" 

"  Then  your  looks  belie  you." 

"  Because  I  don't  know  how  to  tell  your  Excellency. 
Some  one  has  come." 

A  long  pause  ensued.  At  last  the  general's  voice 
said,  in  a  wavering  tone,  "  Is  it  my  son  ?" 

"  Now,  Herr  Baron,  you  may  come  in,"  Friedrich 
called,  with  a  lately  acquired  familiarity  of  manner, 
which  told  more  distinctly  than  aught  else  could  have 
done  of  the  poverty  that  levels  the  barrier  between 
master  and  servant. 

Treffenbach  at  once  entered  a  second  spacious,  lofty 
apartment,  almost  entirely  empty.  In  one  corner — 
it  looked  a  mile  off — stood  the  campaign-bed  which 
always  accompanied  the  once  gallant  soldier ;  he  hoped 
at  least  to  die  upon  it,  since  a  glorious  death  upon  the 
battle-field  had  been  denied  him. 

Near  a  window,  beside  a  table  piled  with  books  and 
papers,  stood  the  general's  wheeled  chair.  If  the  father 
hardly  knew  whether  he  felt  more  of  joy  or  of  pain  in 
this  meeting,  the  son's  sensations  were  those  of  over- 
whelming sadness.  He  could  scarcely  speak  when  he 
saw  before  him  the  shrunken  figure,  the  deeply-lined 
face  of  the  father  who  had  always  been  to  him  the 
personification  of  athletic  vigour.  "  Oh,  sir,  oh,  father ! 
I  have  but  one  miserable  excuse  for  my  delay  in  coming 
to  you, — my  ignorance  of  your  illness,  of  your  condi- 
tion.    Armin  Hess  divined  it  when  I  did  not !" 

The  general  lifted  his  left  hand  and  laid  it,  a  leaden 


348  VIOLETTA 

weight,  upon  his  son's  shoulder:  "Do  not  reproach 
yourself,  my  boy ;  it  was  best  to  keep  you  in  igno- 
rance, I  wished  to  spare  you  this  sight.  I  hoped  you 
would  have  received  tidings  of  my  death,  but  I  cannot 
die.  Here  you  are  now,  however,  and  I  am  glad  of  it. 
I  have  wished  it  of  late  for  her  sake,  for  she  is  killing 
herself  for  me."  He  paused,  overcome  by  pain  and 
agitation  ;  he  seemed  scarcely  to  see  his  son,  but  to  be 
occupied  with  other  thoughts,  which  had  filled  his 
lonely  hours  with  anxiety.  "  She  is  wearing  her  life 
away.  That  cough  of  hers  kills  me,  and  there  is  noth- 
ing to  be  done.  The  little  witch  is  stronger  than  all 
of  us.  I  am  afraid  she  will  be  too  strong  for  you.  But 
no  more  of  that.  Let  us  talk  of  yourself,  old  fellow ! 
Come,  drive  away  the  gloomy  thoughts  that  crowd 
upon  me  here  while  I  am  sitting  alone  and  counting 
the  moments  until  she  comes." 

Treffenbach  looked  around  the  dimly-lit  apartment 
and  shivered.     "  And  you  live  here  always,  sir  ?" 

"  It  is  the  Palazzo  Belloni.  What  more  would  you 
have  ?"  his  Excellency  said,  hastily.  "  "We  live  in  gran- 
deur. The  whole  house  is  at  our  disposal.  Is  that  not 
gorgeous  ?  It  belongs  to  the  Menardi  family,  and  the 
old  Princess  says  we  do  her  a  favour  by  living  in  it." 

Treffenbach  covered  his  face  with  his  hands.  His 
father's  every  word,  the  significance  of  which  he  per- 
fectly understood,  stung  him  to  the  quick.  The  gen- 
eral was  living  in  this  ruinous  empty  old  house  probably 
because  he  had  it  rent-free.  "  "Where  is  Yioletta  ?"  he 
asked  at  last. 

The  general  glanced  at  the  clock :  "  She  is  still  at 
the  opera-house.  She  sings  Eossini  to-night.  My  boy, 
I  cannot  help  it.  "What  is  to  become  of  her  when  1 
am  dead  ?     I  know  that  when  she  talks  of  providing 


IL   PALAZZO   BELLONI  349 

for  her  future  it  is  only  a  pretence.  But  indeed  her 
future  weighs  heavily  upon  me.  Prince  Barancovich 
is  my  only  hope.  He  is  a  faithful  creature,  and  has 
written  to  me  to  say  that  his  love  is  unalterable,  and 
to  press  his  suit ;  but  the  stubborn  child  will  have 
nothing  to  say  to  him.  To-night,  however,  is  the  last 
performance  of  the  season.  Emma  went  with  her,  for 
Signora  Contelli  sent  word  that  she  wished  to  see  me 
alone  this  evening :  she  had  something  to  say  to  me. 
But  here  I  am  talking  of  ourselves  again  while  I  know 
nothing  of  why  you  have  left  Brazil.  Yes,  and  look 
here, "  he  interruj^ted  himself  in  the  same  fever- 
ish, uneasy  way,  as  he  stretched  out  his  hand  towards 
some  books  on  the  table.  "  Your  works,  my  dear  boy. 
I  am  studying  them.  Tremendously  learned.  My 
poor  j^aralyzed  brain  cannot  comprehend  them,  but 
I  am  astounded.  Several  people  —  and  especially  a 
Spanish  diplomatist  at  the  Menardis  —  lately  asked 
whether  I  were  related  to  the  '  famous  scholar.' " 

Treifenbach  glanced  with  a  profound  sigh  towards 
the  volumes,  which  represented  his  life's  task.  "Well, 
it  was  completed,  and  what  had  he,  what  had  the  world, 
gained  thereby  ?  He  had  often  said  to  himself,  as  he 
sat  at  work,  that  only  scholars  and  philosophers  could 
appreciate  and  value  his  labours,  and  he  had  said  this 
with  pride  rather  than  with  regret,  for  what  cared  he 
for  the  applause  of  the  multitude  ?  For  ten  long  yeai's 
he  had  sacrificed  every  leisure  hour  of  the  day,  and 
many  a  night,  to  this  work,  and  now  ?  It  all  seemed 
to  him  more  worthless  than  the  paper  upon  which  it 
was  written. 

"  There  is  a  ring,"  said  the  general.  "  That  must 
be  Signora  Contelli.  Stay  quietly  here.  She  is  a 
worthy  woman." 

m 


350  VIOLETTA 

He  had  hardly  finished  speaking  when  the  little 
lady  appeared,  hurried  and  breathless. 

"  Excuse  me,  your  Excellency,"  she  exclaimed.  "  I 
meant  to  have  been  here  sooner,  but  I  was  detained. 
However,  there  is  still  time  enough."  She  sat  down 
to  recover  breath,  not  perceiving  Magnus,  who  had 
withdrawn  into  the  recess  of  a  window. 

"  Yes,  your  Excellency,  I  wanted  to  say  to  you  be- 
fore the  Bimbina  comes, — no  starring  !  Santa  Ma- 
donna!— the  child  is  singing  herself  to  death.  We 
must  be  firm.  She  does  not  yet  know  it,  but  I  have 
put  a  stop  to  all  the  engagements.  The  impresario 
has  agreed  to  cancel  them.  And  now  there  must  be 
eight  weeks — twelve  weeks,  indeed — of  absolute  rest, 
or  we  shall  bury  the  poor  little  dove  in  the  autumn. 
She  laughs  at  me,  and  says  she  likes  it,  but  there  is 
not  a  word  of  truth  in  that.  She  has  had  pains  in  her 
chest  for  days.  Yesterday  evening  she  came  to  her 
room  between  the  acts  looking  so  that  I  said,  '  Bim- 
bina! what  is  the  matter?  Are  you  ill?'  'Only  a 
little  tired,'  said  she.  '  This  part  is  agitating,  and  I 
have  so  much  to  do.'  And  she  sat  down,  and  her  eyes 
looked  so  dull  and  dead.  But  when  she  saw  that 
Carlo  Ferrati  and  I  were  watching  her  anxiously,  she 
sprang  up  and  threw  her  arms  round  my  neck,  crying 
merrily,  '  Mamma  Lucia,  do  you  know  that  they  want 
me  in  Paris?  And  have  you  heard  what  they  offer 
me  ?  We  shall  come  back  perfect  Croesuses !'  and  she 
chattered  away  just  to  distract  our  thoughts ;  but  I 
could  hear  how  short  her  breath  was,  and  I  know  how 
such  a  flower  can  fade  and  die  in  a  day,  and  so  I  de- 
termined to  speak  to  you.  What  shall  we  do  ?  She 
must  go  into  the  country  and  drink  milk  and  herb-tea, 
and  sit  in  the  sun,  and  have  no  anxiety." 


IL   PALAZZO   BELLONI  351 

"  Yes,  my  good  Signora,  I  will  consult  about  it  with 
my  son  here." 

The  Signora  started  so  that  she  nearly  fell  off  of  her 
chair.  She  'had  not  seen  the  Signor,'  she  asked  a 
'thousand  pardons'  for  her  intrusion,  and  then  she 
hurriedly  took  her  departure. 

After  she  had  gone  silence  reigned  for  a  while  in  the 
lofty,  dim  apartment.  Father  and  son  listened  for  the 
striking  of  the  clock.  A  hundred  times  Treflenbach 
thought  of  asking  whether  he  should  not  go  for  Vio- 
letta,  but  the  thought  of  seeing  her  once  more  choked 
the  words  in  his  throat. 

Friedrich  came  in  now  and  then,  and  they  could 
hear  him  lighting  the  fire  and  laying  the  table  in  the 
next  room.  Then  he  came  in  again  and  whispered  to 
the  general,  who  said  to  his  son,  "  I  hope  you  did  not 
go  to  a  hotel ;  Friedrich  will  lodge  you  here." 

"  I  might  inconvenience  you." 

"  Oh,  no,  indeed,  Herr  Baron !  We  could  not  let 
you  go  elsewhere.  Fräulein  Emma  will  attend  to 
everything." 

In  spite  of  his  melancholy  mood,  Treffenbach  could 
not  help  asking  how  Fräulein  Emma  performed  her 
part  in  the  green-room  as  the  duenna  of  a  prima 
donna. 

For  answer  the  general  began  to  laugh — to  laugh  as 
he  had  not  done  for  a  long,  long  time. 


352  VIOLETTA 

CHAPTEK    XXXIII 

THE   'SOUBRETTE' 

"He  is  laughing!  Positively!"  The  words  were 
spoken  in  a  half- whisper  by  a  voice  at  the  sound  of 
which  Magnus  started  as  if  electrified.  Through  the 
open  door  a  gray,  airy  figure  came  running  into  the 
room  and  to  the  window  where  the  general  sat.  Kneel- 
ing beside  his  chair,  she  exclaimed,  "  You  are  laughing! 
you  are  happy !     Oh,  papa,  how  glad  I  am !" 

"  Look,  and  see  who  has  come." 

She  uttered  a  low  cry  and  sprang  to  her  feet ;  the 
gray  cloak  fell  from  her  shoulders,  and  she  stood  be- 
fore him  in  all  the  loveliness  which  he  remembered 
but  too  well, — the  same  innocent  gayety  in  her  look, 
the  same  gentle  smile  upon  her  lips,  and  yet,  alas! 
so  altered,  so  delicate,  so  ethereal,  the  eyes  grown  so 
large  and  so  supernaturally  brilliant,  the  hand  so 
slight,  so  transparent,  that  it  seemed  as  if  it  must 
melt  away  beneath  the  burning  kiss  that  he  imprinted 
upon  it. 

She  gazed  at  him  for  a  moment  with  wide-open 
eyes,  and  then  she  seemed  to  comprehend  that  an 
end  had  come  to  all  the  dreary  days  ;  and  trembling, 
laughing,  and  weeping,  she  kneeled  beside  the  general 
again :  "  Oh,  my  father,  now  all  will  be  well.  He 
will  take  you  to  Velzin.  He  will  make  you  well. 
You  will  be  happy,  and  so  will  Emma,  and  Friedlich 
too." 

"  And  3-0U  ?" 


THE  'SOUBRETTE'  353 

"And  I?"  She  laughed  gleefully.  "I  have  made 
my  last  appearance  on  the  stage  to-night." 

"  Aha !     You  little  hypocrite !" 

She  blushed,  and  looked  up  at  Treffenbach  with  a 
smile  that  was  as  arch  as  ever.  Then  suddenly  grow- 
ing grave,  she  rose  and  went  to  him  and  laid  her  hand 
upon  his  arm :  "  Ah,  how  ill,  how  unhappy  you  look ! 
Do  not  be  distressed  about  him,  he  will  get  well  now. 
All  he  wants  is  happiness." 

Then  Friedrich  opened  the  doors  wide,  announced 
*  Supper  is  served,'  and  wheeled  the  general's  chair 
into  the  next  room,  where  the  round  tea-table  looked 
like  a  small  oasis  in  a  desert,  and  whei*e  Fräulein 
Emma,  with  the  same  sentimental  face,  still  tied  about 
with  a  kerchief,  presided  over  the  brass  tea-kettle  as 
in  happier  times  she  had  presided  over  the  silver  one. 
Treffenbach's  presence,  and  the  inimitable  elegance  of 
his  attire,  brought  the  ever-ready  tears  to  the  poor 
Fräulein's  ej^es.  She  pressed  his  hand  in  silence,  and 
looked  at  him  with  inexpressible  melancholy.  How 
long  it  was  since  she  had  seen  a  gentleman  who  knew 
how  to  tie  his  cravat  with  so  much  chic !  It  seemed  an 
eternity ! 

Treffenbach  at  first  hardly  spoke.  Violetta's  pres- 
ence, her  changed  appearance,  and  her  unchanged  de- 
meanour, absorbed  his  thoughts.  Fräulein  Emma  tried 
in  vain  to  induce  him  to  eat ;  at  last  to  please  her  he 
took  something  uj)on  his  plate,  when  suddenly  it  oc- 
curred to  him  that  every  article  of  food  here  was  paid 
for  by  the  health  of  this  pale  delicate  child,  and  he 
could  not  eat :  each  morsel  would  have  turned  to  a 
coal  of  fire  between  his  lips. 

"  I  am  not  hungry,  thank  you,  Emma,"  he  said. 
*'  Let  me  rather  discuss  plans  for  the  immediate  future. 
X  30* 


354  VIOLETTA 

Do  you  not  think,  sir,"  and  he  turned  to  his  father, 
*'  that  the  air  of  Velzin  must  be  better  than  that  of 
Milan  in  July?" 

Violetta's  eyes  beamed  with  rapture.  The  general 
rejilied  that  all  depended  upon  whether  the  air  there 
would  suit  her  ;  the  physician  must  be  consulted. 

"  None  of  the  physicians  here  can  judge,  for  they 
know  nothing  of  Velzin,"  Treffenbach  said,  hastily. 
It  seemed  to  him  that  if  he  did  not  carry  her  imme- 
diately away  from  here  something  exquisitely  precious 
and  never  to  be  replaced  would  be  lost. 

"  We  will  see,"  said  the  general,  sighing. 

At  last  they  arose,  and  the  wheeled  chair  was  rolled 
away  from  the  table.  Violetta  took  up  some  em- 
broidery, but  she  could  not  remain  quiet.  She  re- 
peatedly threw  her  arms  about  the  general's  neck, 
entreating  him  to  take  courage  now  and  be  glad. 

At  last  Friedrich  came  in  to  take  the  general  to 
bed,  and  Fräulein  Emma  begged  Magnus  to  allow  her 
to  show  him  his  room.  He  looked  around  for  Violetta : 
she  had  vanished;  but  as,  following  his  guide,  he  was 
traversing  a  wide  hall,  the  girl  came  up  to  him,  held 
out  both  her  hands,  and  whispered  gaily,  "  Good-night, 
dear  Magnus !" 

Unable  to  speak,  he  carried  her  hands  to  his  lips. 
She  tried  to  draw  them  away.  "What  is  it  that 
troubles  you?  Why  do  you  kiss  my  hands?"  she 
asked,  shyly,  and  then,  amid  tears  and  smiles,  she 
added,  "  Ah,  how  happy  I  am  that  God  has  granted 
my  prayer  and  brought  you  back !  If  papa  sighs  still, 
because  he  naturally  thinks  more  than  ever  of  the 
trials  we  have  had  since  those  happy  days  in  Teplitz, 
he  will  soon  forget  it  all  now  that  he  has  you  with 
him.     And  you  must  never  leave  him  again,  Magnus." 


THE  'SOUBRETTE'  355 

She  laid  her  clasped  hands  upon  his  arm,  and  looked 
up  at  him  beseechingl}'.  "  T  shall  not  long  be  worth 
much,  I  know  that,  and  what  would  become  of  him 
afterwards?     Do  you  understand,  Magnus?" 

For  answer  he  kissed  the  clasped  hands  again,  and 
a  hot  drop  fell  on  them.  Then  he  hurried  away,  while 
Violetta  stood  still  and  pondered.  "A  tear!  What 
could  grieve  him  so  ?"  she  murmured. 

Fräulein  Emma  was  waiting  for  the  Baron  at  the 
door  of  an  apartment  which  looked  as  empty  and  deso- 
late as  all  the  other  rooms  of  this  palace.  But  neces- 
sity had  made  the  Fräulein  inventive,  and  she  had  suc- 
ceeded in  giving  to  the  room  a  habitable  appearance. 

She  had  evidently  been  waiting  for  this  moment  in 
which  to  pour  out  her  heart ;  no  compunctious  visit- 
ings  interfered  to  pi'event  her  from  expatiating  upon 
the  events  of  these  last  years.  She  was  still  far  from 
clear  as  to  the  why  and  wherefore  of  the  matter,  but 
the  fact  was  undeniable  that  on  a  certain  day  they 
had  left  Como,  and  the  linen,  the  silver,  the  furniture, 
had  all  been  sold  at  auction  "  before  my  very  eyes !" 
she  wailed,  wringing  her  hands.  "  Everything  went, 
— the  table-cloth  with  the  stag-hunt, — you  remember 
it,  Baron  Magnus, — and  the  two  dozen  napkins  be- 
longing to  it.  And  then  that  very  old  table-cloth  with 
St.  G-eorge  and  the  dragon  in  the  centre, — the  damask 
was  like  pure  white  sillc  There  were  seventeen  nap- 
kins belonging  to  it, — that  brought  bad  luck,  you  see. 
And  upon  number  five  there  was  a  big  stain  that  never 
would  wash  out,  and  they  said  it  was  stained  so  when 
one  of  your  ancestors  was  shot  during  the  Thirty 
Years'  War,  as  he  was  dining  in  his  tent,  and  holding 
a  wineglass  in  his  hand.  Ah,  Baron  Magnus,  I  do  not 
yet  see  why  I  did  not  die  on  that  day !" 


356  VIOLETTA 

"  Who  bought  the  things  ?" 

"A  Jew,  a  Herr  Levison,  bought  most  of  them: 
the  very  thought  of  him  makes  me  feel  ill." 

"  But  go  on,  go  on,  my  dear  Emma.  So  you  came 
here,  and  Fräulein  Violetta  went  upon  the  stage?" 

"  Yes ;  and  I  can  only  wonder  what  your  blessed 
mother  would  have  said.  '  Emma,'  she  used  to  say  to 
me,  'you  never  neglect  propriety;  you  always  con- 
duct yourself  suitably.'  And  now  I  have  to  go  and 
wait  behind  the  scenes  often,  and  hear  them  all  laugh- 
ing, and  listen  to  the  silly  music,  and  then  at  last  she 
comes  to  me.  Ah,  she  is  an  angel !  But  those  Con- 
tellis !  They  may  be  very  good,  but  the  minute  they 
begin  to  speak  German  you  can  see  that  they  have  no 
education.  "Why,  the  street-boys  in  Berlin  speak  more 
correctly !  And  then,  last  of  all,  this  house, — a  palace 
they  call  it !  Mercy  upon  us  1  I  should  like  to  show 
them  Charlottenburg.  Not  a  curtain  before  the  win- 
dows, and  hardly  two  chairs  apiece  for  each  room " 

"  Yes ;  but  tell  me,  have  they  ever  really  wanted  for 
anything  ?" 

"  Well,  sometimes.  At  first  Fräulein  "Violetta  would 
not  eat  enough,  and  the  Princess  Menardi  once  sent 
her  a  gown.  But  all  that  is  over  now.  And  I  must  tell 
you,  too,  of  something  strange  that  happened  to  me. 
Three  times  there  came  an  envelope,  containing  three 
hundred  thalers,  from  a  German  town,  addressed  to 
me,  and  on  a  slip  of  paper  inside  was  written,  '  From 
an  old  adorer,' — nothing  else." 

The  Fräulein  simpered  self-consciously,  and  Treffen- 
bach easily  divined  where  the  money  came  from.  Hess 
had  not  only  reflected  and  drawn  conclusions :  he  had 
acted  upon  them. 

At  last  Fräulein  Emma  noticed  the  weariness  in  the 


THE  'SOUBRETTE'  357 

Baron's  eyes  and  withdrew.  Friedrich  then  came  to 
offer  his  services.  "  I  sleep  up  here  to  be  near  his 
Excellency,"  he  said.  "  We  are  quite  alone  on  this  story. 
The  Fräulein  Violetta's  room  is  just  above  this  one. 
She  will  cough,  I  know  ;  I  have  heard  her  when  I  have 
passed  through  this  room  at  night.  But  the  Herr 
Baron  sleeps  sound,  and  it  may  not  disturb  him,  for 
perhaps  it  will  only  last  an  hour.  His  Excellency  does 
not  sleep  well ;  he  has  been  so  very  ill,  and  Fräulein 
Violetta  has  worn  herself  out  nursing  him.  I  always 
say  to  Fräulein  Emma,  'Mamsell,  the  old  mistress 
surely  sent  our  Fräulein  down  from  heaven,  for  no  one 
but  herself  could  have  taken  such  care  of  the  gen- 
eral.'" 

Magnus  bit  his  lip.  Was  he  to  learn  this  lesson  from 
Friedrich  too  ? 

What  a  night !  Above  him  sounded  that  hoarse 
cough,  torturing  him  with  its  steady  recurrence.  An 
hour  did  Friedrich  say  ?  He  sprang  up  and  lit  his 
candle :  his  watch  told  him  it  was  two  o'clock,  and  she 
had  not  slept,  nor  even  rested,  yet.  His  anxiety  in- 
creased. He  listened  intently,  measured  the  pauses, 
hoped,  and  despaired  as  often  as  his  hope  proved  vain. 

Ah,  why  in  his  blind  pride  and  selfish  determination 
had  he  unclasped  her  hands  and  left  her  two  yeai's  ago, 
when  she  foreboded  the  coming  tempest,  and,  shrinking 
from  the  future  in  terror,  had  looked  to  him  as  to  a 
protector  ? 

If  he  had  remained,  everything  would  have  been 
different.  True,  he  would  have  had  to  share  in  the 
disgrace,  instead  of  standing  proudly  aloof,  but  he  could 
have  guarded  them  all  from  miseiy,  poverty,  and  ill- 
ness. 

Towards  morning  the  cough  was  hushed.    He  might 


358  VIOLETTA 

have  slept,  since  the  disturbance — if  the  muffled  sound 
could  be  so  called  —  had  ceased.  But  he  was  less 
than  ever  able  to  sleep,  for  a  fresh  anxiety  assailed 
him.  The  cough  had  been  irritating ;  this  silence  was 
appalling.  He  fancied  the  last  sound  had  been  like  a 
dying  sigh.  What  if  she  were  no  longer  living  ?  Who 
was  up  there  with  her  in  the  ghastly  solitude  of  this 
house  to  help  her,  and  to  soothe  her  if  pain  and  dark- 
ness should  terrify  her  ? 

He  tossed  about  restlessly,  gazing  at  the  windows  in 
hopes  of  perceiving  the  dawn.  At  last  it  appeared, 
and  his  exhaustion  was  so  great  that  he  sank  into  a 
heavy  slumber. 

When  he  awoke  the  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens. 
He  looked  about  him  bewildered  :  the  beneficent  obliv- 
ion of  sleep  still  clogged  his  senses.  Where  was  he  ? 
Opposite  him  stretched  a  lofty  sea-green  wall,  with 
pictured  palms  and  grotesque  flowers,  and  a  panther- 
hunt  painted  in  the  midst  of  them.  On  one  side  of  the 
room  the  colours  on  the  wall  were  obliterated,  and  here 
there  was  a  yawning  fireplace  ;  the  tiled  floor  was 
broken  and  cracked  in  spots, — the  room  was  drearily 
spacious.  The  windows  were  magnificent,  and  the 
apartment  this  morning  was  flooded  with  light,  which 
revealed  as  the  only  furniture,  two  high-backed  chairs 
covered  with  faded,  ragged  satin  damask,  and  a  table 
with  thin  gilt  legs.  The  sad  reality  flashed  upon  his 
mind  and  roused  him  fully. 

Upon  going  to  the  general's  room  he  found  only 
Fräulein  Emma,  who  had  a  cup  of  hot  cofi'ee  for  him, 
and  who  told  him  that  his  Excellency  was  always 
taken  out  for  an  airing  in  his  wheeled  chair  by  Fi-ied- 
rich  at  this  hour  of  the  morning.  He  might  return 
now  at  any  minute. 


THE  'SOUBRETTE'  359 

"And  Yioletta?"  he  asked,  with  a  throbbing  heart. 

"  She  is  probably  u^i-stairs  with  her  flowers." 

"  Can  I  go  up  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  you  cannot  miss  your  way.  Her  flowers 
are  on  the  roof,  or  the  lodge,  as  they  call  it  here.  Go 
directly  up  the  staircase  and  straight  on,  and  you  will 
find  her." 

Hardly  giving  himself  time  to  drink  his  coffee,  he 
hurried  away  and  up  the  wide  staircase.  There  was 
the  same  decay  and  neglect  visible  everywhere, — the 
house  was  indeed  on  the  road  to  ruin.  In  the  bright 
sunshine  which  penetrated  even  to  these  halls,  every- 
thing looked  worse  than  ever.  He  wandered  about 
above-stairs  for  a  few  moments,  until,  at  the  end  of  a 
broad  gallery,  which  was  open  to  the  air  on  one  side, 
defended  only  by  a  balustrade,  he  saw  two  blooming 
oleanders  in  tubs.  Here  the  gallery  led  out  into  a 
square  terrace,  whence,  high  above  all  the  noise  of 
the  street,  there  was  a  beautiful  prospect.  Flowers 
were  blooming  and  vines  wreathing  everywhere  here, 
and  in  the  midst  of  this  little  garden  sat  Violetta, 
her  hands  clasped  in  her  lap,  gazing  out  towards 
the  distant  horizon.  Her  dark  hair  curled  low  upon 
her  forehead ;  she  wore  a  white  gown,  with  a  scarlet 
knot  at  her  throat ;  her  delicate  profile  stood  out  clear 
against  the  blue  Italian  sky.  A  letter  lay  on  the 
ground  at  her  feet.  When  she  perceived  Treffenbach 
she  picked  it  up  and  came  towards  him.  "  \Yo  did 
not  expect  to  see  you  so  early,"  she  said.  "  Papa  has 
gone  for  his  walk." 

"  Violetta,  my  poor  child,  how  you  suffered  last 
night  I" 

"  Did  you  hear  me  ?  Ob,  I  am  so  sorry  I  I  must 
have  disturbed  j'^ou." 


Jt>0  VIOLETTA 

"  Does  that  go  on  every  night  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,  not  always !  But  please  do  not  say  any- 
thing about  it  to  papa.  I  really  am  so  grateful  to  that 
convenient  considerate  cough :  it  comes  only  in  the 
night,  and  does  not  interfere  with  my  singing,  which 
is  the  chief  consideration.  But  look  here,  Magnus,  I 
have  had  such  a  dear  letter  from  the  Countess  Hess. 
She  invites  me  to  spend  the  holidays  with  them.  I 
shall  answer  her  immediately,  but — but " 

"  But  you  cannot,  you  must  not  leave  my  father, 
Yioletta,  and  he  must  come  with  me  to  Velzin." 

"  No,  I  cannot  leave  him  yet,"  she  said,  simply. 

He  sat  down  beside  her  upon  the  broad  breastwork 
of  the  wall,  and  they  looked  down  for  a  while  in 
silence  upon  the  roofs,  the  streets,  and  the  gardens 
where  childi"en  were  playing,  "  This  is  my  garden  up 
here,"  Yioletta  said,  gaily,  at  last.  "  Friedrich  brought 
up  the  earth  and  planted  the  flowers  for  me.  They 
grow  luxuriantly,  as  you  see.  I  like  to  sit  here,  when 
I  have  time,  and  fancy  that  it  is  indeed  a  home, — such 
a  home  as  I  know  yours  was  once,  Magnus." 

"  Oh,  Yioletta,"  he  broke  forth,  "  if  you  will  but  let 
me  give  you  such  a  home, — care  for  you,  w^ait  upon 

you,  surround  you  with  the  afi'ection  of — of "  he 

hesitated ;  the  passionate  words  that  came  thronging 
to  his  lips  seemed  so  unjustified,  so  premature,  that  he 
suppressed  them,  and  ended  with — "  of  the  tenderest 
brother." 

"  But  what  could  you  do  ?  I  need  no  care.  I  am 
very  well.  Yet  all  the  same," — she  blushed  and  laid 
her  hand  on  his, —  "all  the  same  you  must  know 
that  I  dearly  like  to  call  you  my  brother.  I  am  only 
afraid  sometimes  it  displeases  you." 

"  It  is  natural  that  you  should  feel  so,  and  I  richly 


CONCLUSION  361 

deserve  to  have  you  tell  me  so,"  he  rejoined ;  "  but 
one  thing,  Violetta,  you  must  hear  from  me.  Since  I 
last  saw  you  not  a  day  has  passed  in  which  I  have  not 
thought  of  you ;  with  what  pain  and  longing  I  should 
be  afraid  to  tell  you, — not  a  day  on  which  I  have  not 
taken  out  your  picture,  which  still  lies  next  my  heart, 
and — and — gazed  at  it,  fancying  that  I  could  hoar 
your  dear  voice,  your  silvery  laugh.  Oh,  my  dar- 
ling, you  never  were  forgotten,  but  the  thought  of  you 
pierced  my  heart  with  a  thousand  pangs,  blind,  egotis- 
tical fool  that  I  have  been !" 

She  had  looked  up  at  him  at  first  with  a  smile ;  now 
she  rose  hastily,  and  with  a  timid  glance  at  his  pale, 
agitated  face,  she  shrank  from  him  in  evident  distress, 
and  said,  "  Come,  we  must  go  ;  I  cannot  stay  up  hero 
any  longer.  Papa  will  have  returned,  and  he  will  be 
wanting  you."  And  she  vanished  like  some  fleet- 
footed  fawn,  and  he  was  left  to  find  his  way  alone 
through  the  labyrinth  of  galleries  and  corridors  to  his 
father's  room. 


CHAPTEE    XXXIV 

CONCLUSION 


"  Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  king " 

"  Hanna,  my  child,  you  will  spoil  our  lake  for  Vio- 
letta with  that  stupid  story." 

*  Stupid    story  ?'      A    storm   of   indignant    remon- 
strance burst  from  five  childish  throats,  and  through 
it  rang  a  soft,  musical  laugh,  while  the  tempest  waa 
soothed  to  rest  by  the  gentle  entreaty,  "  Let  Hanna  go 
Q  31 


362  VIOLETTA 

on,  my  dear  Magnus ;  nothing  can  spoil  this  lake  for 
me."  There  upon  the  broad  breast  of  the  dam  the 
childish  group  is  gathered  again.  Hanna,  now  a  tall 
maiden,  has  the  youngest  in  her  lap,  and  beside  her 
sits  Violetta,  the  pale,  delicate  creature  who,  since 
she  came  to  Velzin,  has  made  herself  adored  by  old  and 
young,  and  who  thinks  the  spot  a  very  heaven. 

Broad  as  the  breast  of  the  dam  is,  Baron  Treffen- 
bach thinks  it  necessary  to  station  himself  on  the 
other  side  of  Violetta,  lest  she  should  fall  into  the 
water. 

Of  the  lake  before  them  and  of  the  purple  gleaming 
moor  behind  them  he  sees  nothing.  His  whole  atten- 
tion is  given  to  the  airy  white  figure  beside  him ;  he 
watches  every  change  in  her  face,  listens  with  eager 
anxiety  for  every  tone  of  her  voice.  A  slight  cough 
is  heard,  and  Treflfenbach  says  hastily,  "  Violetta,  was 
that  you  coughing?" 

"I?  Oh,  no!"  she  replies,  turning  towards  him, 
only  to  look  away  again  instantly  with  a  sudden 
blush. 

"  I  coughed,"  little  Lena,  her  apron  full  of  berries, 
said,  with  an  air  of  importance.  "  That  last  black- 
berry was  such  a  big  one." 

Treffenbach  looked  relieved.  "  Do  you  drink  all  the 
milk  that  you  were  ordered  every  day,  Violetta  ?" 

"  No,  that  she  doesn't,"  her  treacherous  friends  de- 
clared loudly.  "  "We  saw  her  give  half  of  it  to-day  to 
a  beggar-boy !" 

«  But,  Violetta !" 

"  But,  Magnus !  Do  let  Hanna  finish  her  story.  I 
am  so  curious  to  hear  it." 

And  Hanna  tells  the  legend,  and  the  gray  and  white 
curlews  confirm  it  with  their  shrill  screams,  the  tiny 


CONCLUSION  363 

waves  plash  at  the  foot  of  the  dam,  and  the  old  fir- 
trees  rustle. 

Oh,  she  was  so  happy !  What  if  he  had  once  re- 
pulsed her  and  fled  from  her?  Now  his  time,  his  care, 
and  his  interest  were  all  for  her.  His  only  thought 
was  of  her  restoration  to  perfect  health.  Where  the 
forest  bordered  on  the  moor  he  had  had  built  for  her 
an  open  pavilion,  in  which  the  general  could  sit  in  his 
wheeled  chair,  and  where  Violetta,  beside  him,  could 
drink  in  the  fresh,  delicious  breath  of  the  moorland. 
But  she  was  never  permitted  to  read  aloud.  Ti'effen- 
bach  would  not  even  let  her  busy  herself  with  her  em- 
broidery. He  would  read  the  paper  or  some  book  to 
his  father,  while  the  young  girl,  half  reclining  on  a 
low  divan,  gave  herself  over  to  pleasant  waking  dreams 
and  to  the  healing  power  of  the  sunshine  and  air. 

Sometimes,  soothed  by  the  voice  of  the  reader,  the 
lids  would  droop  over  the  violet  eyes  until  the  long 
lashes  lay  on  the  pale  cheek,  and  then  involuntarily 
Magnus  would  lower  his  voice,  and  pause  and  lose 
himself  in  contemplation  of  the  innocent,  childlike 
face. 

And  Violetta  was  gradually  recovering  all  that  she 
had  lost.  There  came  days  when  roses  bloomed  once 
more  upon  her  cheeks  and  she  was  the  Violetta  of 
former  times.  She  was  so  happy,  whether  roaming 
over  the  moor,  or  rendering  to  the  general  the  hun- 
dred little  services  which  he  had  been  used  to  re- 
ceive at  her  hands,  or  sitting  in  silence  beside  his 
wheeled  chair,  her  hand  in  his,  while  he  talked  with 
his  son  as  in  the  old  times,  or  playing  with  the  happy 
group  of  children  at  the  parsonage,  where  she  was 
immediately  at  home  with  Frau  Ehrhardt  and  the 
good  pastor.     Her  life  now  seemed  to  her  one  long 


364  VIOL  ETTA 

holiday.  To  Frau  Ehrhardt  especially  she  turned 
"with  wliat  soon  became  an  almost  daughterly  aifee- 
tion,  and  from  her  she  learned  of  the  life  of  the  former 
mistress  of  Velzin,  of  the  early  days  of  Magnus,  and 
of  the  almost  idolatrous  affection  of  the  son  for  the 
mother. 

Count  and  Countess  Hess  drove  over  to  Velzin  one 
day,  finding  their  way  into  the  old  house  through  the 
wilderness  of  roses,  and  the  Count  discovered  Fräulein 
Emma  behind  the  door  of  a  wardrobe,  whence  he  drew 
her  forth  to  present  her  to  his  wife  in  spite  of  her  ex- 
cuses for  not  appearing  on  account  of  a  swelled  face. 
He  would  listen  to  nothing,  averring  stoutly  that  she 
was  always  handsome  enough. 

Countess  Marie  Louise  was  seated  beside  the  gen- 
eral's wheeled  chair  when  Violetta  entered  the  I'oom. 
Count  Hess  went  forward  to  greet  her,  took  both  her 
hands  and  carried  them  to  his  lips,  and  then  led  her  to 
his  wife.     "  Here  she  is,"  was  all  he  said. 

Confused  and  blushing,  Violetta  confronted  the 
beautiful  woman.  This,  then,  was  she  who  was  to 
have  been  Magnus's  wife.  The  poor  child  felt  as  if  in 
her  mother's  name  she  ought  even  now  to  entreat  for- 
giveness. 

And  if  the  cordial  reception  that  Marie  Louise  gave 
the  girl  was  due  at  first  to  her  love  for  her  husband, 
half  an  hour  had  not  passed  before  Violetta  had  thor- 
oughly won  her  heart,  so  that  on  the  way  home  she 
exclaimed,  "  I  cannot  understand  why  Magnus  should 
hesitate  any  longer  I" 

Yes,  why  hesitate  any  longer  ?  This  was  Magnus's 
own  thought  when  Hanna  finished  her  legend  and  a  pro- 
found silence  ensued,  so  profound  that  the  clock  upon 
the  tower  of  the  manor-house  was  distinctly  heard  to 


CONCLUSION  365 

strike.  "  We  must  go  home,"  said  Hanna.  "  Mamma 
will  be  waiting  supper  for  us." 

The  children  scrambled  down,  and  little  Ella  took 
Violetta's  hand  and  whispered,  "  Isn't  it  a  beautiful 
story?" 

"  Ah,  it  is  so  sad.  I  am  so  sorry  for  the  poor  water- 
witch  !" 

"  The  water- witch  ?"  cried  Ella,  her  blue  eyes  wide 
with  wonder.  "  But  you  mustn't  be  sorry  for  her ;  you 
must  be  sorry  for  the  king." 

"  Oh,  no,  she  is  by  far  the  more  wretched.  She 
cannot  make  him  happy,  and  all  he  thinks  of  is  how 
to  escape  from  her." 

This  astounding  view  of  the  story  so  impressed 
Ella  that  she  hurried  after  the  others  to  impart  it  to 
them. 

Violetta  was  still  standing  on  the  dam,  gazing 
thoughtfully  down  into  the  water,  when  she  felt  a 
hand  clasp  hers.  "  My  darling,"  said  Treffenbach, 
*'  do  not  go.  And  do  not  take  youv  hand  from  mine, 
Violetta,"  for  the  girl  shrank  from  him  timidly,  "  but 
tell  me  if  I  have  not  done  penance  enough  ?" 

"  Penance  ?"  she  repeated. 

"  Yes ;  you  punish  me  severely,  Yioletta,  for  all  the 
wrong  I  have  done  and  thought.  I  do  not  say  the 
punishment  is  undeserved,  but  it  is  none  the  less  hard 
to  bear.  You  avoid  me, — you  reply  to  me  with  hesi- 
tation. It  reminds  me  of  the  time  when  you  were 
afraid  of  me." 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  you  now." 

"  But  you  despise  me." 

"Oh,  heavens!" 

"Do  you  not,  Yioletta?  Then  promise  me  to  live 
always  in  the  old  gray  house  as  its  mistress, — still  a 

31* 


366  VIOLETTA 

daughter  t<)  my  father,  and  to  me — a  guardian  angel, 
a  priceless  treasure,  ail  that  life  holds  dear  while  life 
shall  last." 

She  cast  one  glance  towards  the  old  house,  then 
turned  away  and  covered  her  face  with  her  hands. 
**  Oh,  why  have  you  said  this,  Magnus  ?"  she  asked, 
with  a  sob.  "  It  cannot  be.  And — and  now  I  must 
not  stay  here." 

"  Why  can  it  not  be  ?" 

She  clasped  her  hands  in  front  of  her ;  the  breeze 
played  among  her  curls,  and  the  declining  sun  seemed 
to  bathe  her  in  its  beams,  as  she  said,  gently,  looking 
him  full  in  the  face,  "  Magnus,  when  you  left  us  and 
paid  no  heed  to  my  entreaty,  I  was  still  a  child.  Since 
then  I  have  thought  much,  and  many  things  have  be- 
come clear  to  me.  I  know,  too,  why  you  went  away. 
You  did  right  to  go." 

He  grew  pale.     This  was  bitter  indeed. 

"  For  you  know,"  Yioletta  went  on,  her  cheeks 
crimson,  "  it  was  a  great  misfortune  for  your  family 
when  your  father  married  my  poor  mother.  I  under- 
stand everything  now,  and  I  know  that  it  never  should 
have  been.  And  it  must  not  be  that  a  second  Baron 
Treffenbach  shall  marry  a  Fouquet.  It  is  for  your  sake 
that  I  say  *  no,'  Magnus ;  for  you  are  proud, — proud  of 
your  name,  and  of  your  position,  which  is  far  above 
mine,  and  you  have  lofty  aims  in  life.  Still,  I  had 
hoped  that  there  might  always  be  a  place  here  in 
Velzin  for  me  beside  your  father's  chair.  But  now — 
now  I  must  go  forth  into  the  world  again." 

"  Try  that  at  your  peril !" 

"  You  cannot  prevent  it,  Magnus.  It  would  be  too 
hard  and  cruel." 

"And  have  you  no  thought  for  me,  Violetta? — for 


CONCLUSION  367 

the  love  that  has  dwelt  in  my  heart  ever  since  I  heard 
your  laugh  for  the  first  time ;  for  the  pain,  the  anxiety, 
the  constant  longing  that  have  tortured  me  for  two 
long  years  ?  But  why  should  I  ask  you  to  think  of 
this?"  he  suddenly  interrupted  himself.  "I  deserve 
nothing, — least  of  all  that  priceless  heart." 

"  Ah,  you  and  your  father  are  both  so  dear,  so  dear 
to  me !     Do  not  doubt  it,"  she  implored  him. 

"  Yes,  dear  as  a  father  and  a  brother." 

"  Indeed,  indeed  you  are  !" 

"  Did  you  ever  have  a  brother  ?" 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  Then  you  cannot  know  how  a  brother  is  loved." 

Utterly  conquered  by  the  yearning  affection  in  his 
eyes,  her  colour  deepening  still,  she  suddenly  clasped 
her  arms  about  his  neck,  looked  up  into  his  face,  and 
whispered,  "  Is  it  thus  ?" 

And  it  was  the  third  time  that  this  had  happened 
to  him. 

Had  he  grown  wise  at  last  ? 

The  old  firs  on  the  purple  moor  and  the  curlews 
above  the  lake  could  have  answered  this  question  if 
they  had  chosen.  For  they  were  witnesses  of  the  kiss 
of  betrothal. 

And  there  was  perhaps  one  other  witness,  some  one 
who,  sauntering  along  the  shore  of  the  lake,  had  been 
gazing  towards  the  dam,  a  smile  on  his  lips  which 
even  his  drooping  moustacüe  could  not  conceal.  It 
was  terribly  indiscreet,  to  say  the  least,  to  advance  so 
noiselessly  and  so  curiously,  and  we  are  ver}'  sorry 
just  now,  when  we  are  taking  final  leave  of  a  very 
agreeable  man,  to  be  obliged  to  display  him  in  so  dis« 
advantageous  a  light,  but  truth  before  everything! 


368  VIOLETTA 

"  Let  me  offer  my  congratulations,"  he  said,  softly. 
And  Magnus,  startled,  gazed  at  him  as  if  he  never  had 
seen  him  before. 

But  Violetta,  blushing,  laughing,  crying,  all  at  once, 
turned  to  him  with  all  the  elastic  vivacity  of  her 
nature,  and  put  out  both  her  hands:  "Oh,  don't!  oh, 
don't!  Eather  save  me  from  him.  Tell  him  how 
wrong  it  would  be.  Oh,  how  wickedly  thoughtless  I 
was  just  now, — when — when  you  saw !" 

"I  saw  nothing,"  Count  Armin  asserted,  unblush- 
ingly. 

"  I  do  not  want  to  hurt  him ;  and  I  do  want  to  live 
in  the  old  gray  house ;  and  I  do  want  to  do  all  that  I 
can  while  life  lasts  to  make  him  and  his  father  happy," 
she  went  on.  "  But  I  have  told  him  already  that  there 
ought  to  be  no  other  marriage  between  a  Baron  Tref- 
fenbach and  a  Fouquet.     Am  I  not  right?" 

Both  men  only  gazed  at  her  with  delight,  paying 
but  little  heed  to  what  she  had  to  say,  as  Magnus, 
drawing  her  gently  to  him,  and  stroking  back  the 
curls  from  her  forehead,  said,  in  a  voice  trembling  with 
emotion,  "My  darling,  the  only  question  here  is  whethei 
any  Treifenbach  who  ever  lived,  or  who  ever  can  live 
was  or  can  be  worthy  a  Violetta  Fouquet." 


THE   END 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


3  1205  02280  4619 


llilSSliJnn^li^^^iÄL'ßR^RV  FACILITY 


AA       001  375 


084 


